Play hard, work harder: Workification of gaming in a Swedish World of Warcraft Classic guild

Play hard, work harder: Workification of gaming in a Swedish World of Warcraft Classic guild

Play hard, work harder: Workification of gaming in a Swedish World of Warcraft Classic guild

Emil Ahlström, Per Fors

Abstract

"This paper sets out to problematize and further develop the concept of workification in studies on the intersection of play and work. The literature on workification is scarce and focuses mainly on how game design transforms potentially playful activities in games into work-like tasks. In this study, which utilizes material from interviews and autoethnography, we illustrate the transformation of a World of Warcraft Classic guild, evolving from an informal gathering of friends into a structured organization with clear hierarchies and defined functions. By adopting the theoretical perspective of dominant logic, we show how the governing values and decision premises of the studied organization create a balancing act for management. The differing values of individuals within the organization led to the creation of administrative tools and rules to govern the organization’s members. Our conceptualization of workification emphasizes how aspects traditionally related to work – such as task management and organizational hierarchies – are being employed by guilds to enable new ways of enjoying the gaming experience. Committed players devote time and effort to producing spreadsheets, codes of conducts, and performance indicators, in addition to actually playing the game. While this may detract from the ‘magic’ of the game, we argue that workification can also offer new opportunities for playfulness and enjoyment."

Reference

Ahlström, E., & Fors, P. (2023). Play hard, work harder: Workification of gaming in a Swedish World of Warcraft Classic guild. ephemera: theory & politics in organization, 23(1), 165–187. https://ephemerajournal.org/contribution/play-hard-work-harder-workification-gaming-swedish-world-warcraft-classic-guild-0

Keywords

Workification, Dominant Logic, World of Warcraft