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Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Abstract

This paper reflects on the growing trend in the computer games sector towards multi-user social gaming that transcends media platforms. Technological advancements enable embodiment of game-based assets by players who use their ludic affordances to extend experiences into other virtual spaces. In effect, this constitutes a convergence of markets derived from different forms of media content. We comment on the game-to-virtual corporeal transcendence, discussing the cultural context of the game and its impacts on players (consumers) who interact in virtual communities using the device of an avatar.

Author Bio

Tracy Harwood is Professor of Digital Culture at the Institute of Creative Technologies, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, and manager of the university’s Usability Lab. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Higher Education Academy National Teacher Fellow. Her research focuses on the impacts of emerging technologies on society, business and communities, often involving practice-based approaches using mixed methods in transdisciplinary research designs.

Tony Garry’s research interests are in the area of engagement and connectivity between networks of consumers and firms within a variety of Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer contexts. These have included professional services, virtual networks, virtual/online commerce, e-communities, machinima/digital arts and e-commerce interfaces using both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Russell Belk is York University Distinguished Research Professor and Kraft Foods Canada Chair in Marketing. He has received the Paul D. Converse Award, two Fulbright Awards, and the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Consumer Research Award for Long Term Contribution to Consumer Research. He is a fellow in the Association for Consumer Research, the American Psychological Association and the Royal Society of Canada. He has over 650 publications and his research involves the extended self, meanings of possessions, collecting, gift-giving, sharing, digital consumption, and materialism. This work tends to be qualitative, visual, and cultural.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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