Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games on Promoting Social Well-Being in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic increased the popularity of online gaming; people used gaming as a coping mechanism to help relieve psychological distress while self-isolating. Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) in particular saw an increase in users through 2020. We present a study of the impact of established communities on social well-being within one MMORPG. We conducted an online survey (402 participants) in World of Warcraft-specific Discord and Reddit communities in March 2021. Our survey consisted of multiple choice and short answer questions to gauge how players’ perceived well-being was impacted by in-game relationships and interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our qualitative thematic analysis indicated that World of Warcraft helped participants form valued, meaningful relationships with other players, gave them a sense of purpose, and alleviated negative feelings brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on these results, we describe the unique affordances of MMORPG platforms that support social connection, and provide design recommendations to MMORPG developers for facilitating positive social interactions.