The Phenomenology of the “Other” in Computer Game Worlds

This article discusses the application of a phenomenological framework to inform research in computer game worlds like massively multiplayer online games. Based on the phenomenological sociology of Alfred Schutz, this article examines some of the key problems facing researchers in online spaces, such as the absence of the corporeal “Other.” In discussing these issues using the vocabulary of Schutz’s phenomenology, this article attempts to clarify some key concepts to contribute to a useful framework for conducting social research in computer game worlds. This article examines how the transcendent nature of online social experiences in game environments like World of Warcraft contribute to a distinct context of meaning. An understanding of the ways in which social game worlds can be constituted as sites of unique experience may be useful for researchers wishing to examine these spaces from ethnographic or similar perspectives.