Life In Azeroth: Examining Place-Making In Virtual Environments

The goal of this research is to develop a model of virtual place-making through which to better comprehend how place functions outside of the physical world. Most of the placemaking research within geography has centered around our physical world, ignoring the incredible variety found in virtual environments. Using ethnographic methods and surveys, players of the massively popular online video game, “World of Warcraft”, are studied and worked with to develop this model. Ultimately, the most important components of virtual place are determined. Virtual place-making occurs similarly to that of the physical world, building upon networks of communication between living creatures, their environments, social traditions, and numerous other personal experiences.