Examining Player Anger in World of Warcraft

Abstract

This questionnaire study of the sources of anger in World of Warcraft applies classical quantitative measurement scale construction to a new problem, generating a host of questionnaire items that could find use in future studies, and identifying four major categories of events that cause negative effect among players. First, 33 players provided examples of in-game scenarios that had made them angry, and their responses were culled to create a 93-item battery rated by hundreds of player respondents in terms of anger intensity and anger frequency. An iterative process of factor analysis and scale reliability assessment led to a 28-item instrument measuring four anger-provoking factors: Raids/Instances, Griefers, Perceived Time Wasting, and Anti-social Players. These anger-causing scenarios were then illustrated by concrete examples from player and researcher experiences in World of Warcraft. One striking finding is that players become angry at other players’ negative behavior, regardless of whether that behavior was intended to harm.

Appendix

The following items were removed during Principal Components Analyses if they either cross-loaded onto another factor, or failed to load on any of the four factors (unloaded items are marked *). Some of these items may represent additional but as-yet undiscovered dimensions of anger, or otherwise be of use for future studies.

Players who do not generally listen.

You have not played for a while and feel left behind.*

During PvP, you are a victim of kiting.

You die and find it time-consuming to run back to your corpse.

Players who never help others, but expect help all the time.

Other players not listening in battlegrounds.*

Grinding for XP/reputation often feels like work, not playing.

Being corpse camped by a player who is ?? levels higher than you.

Grinding reputation seems more like a duty.

Players give lame excuses for mistakes.

Players continually begging for gold.

Players who think they are better than you/everyone else.

Abuse of chat channels.

Players who roll ‘Need’ all the time.

You advertise loot in Trade, and other players flame you.*

Players who are arrogant.

Players who exploit others (e.g., extortionate prices on the Auction House).

You are finding it tough leveling your character with solo quests.

You die, when it could have been avoided by you.

Another player generally ruins your game play.

Being challenged to a duel when you try to do your own thing.

Ganked by opposing faction who has better armor than you.

Killed by a member of the opposing faction who gains no honor.

Players who need to rush other players for their own benefit and will not allow the more inexperienced players to catch up.

Players act like drama queens when things do not go their way.

You die, when it could have been avoided by other players.

After dying and returning to your corpse, you are killed again.

You are in a battleground and the opposite faction are in full PvP epics and hanging on to a flag. One of them targets you, despite there being a lower-level armored player nearby.

Players who spam chat channels.

Raid/instance members wrongly declare rights over a loot item.

Players log in for a raid/instance and ask for a summon.

Players ninja or cheat to get loot.

Players do not wait for the warrior to get aggro before attacking.

Guild members are harassing or difficult.

At high levels, lower level players expect you to boost them.

Players have worked hard in a raid/instance nightly. A new player joins who does not commit as much in terms of hard work.

People join a guild, get help/items from the guild, then leave.

Raid/instance members declare rights over a loot item, without any prior agreement about how loot will be allocated.

Players do not log in until a raid/instance starts and assume that a warlock will summon them.

I get a party for a raid/instance and player/players leave.

Items are over-priced in the Auction House.*

Players whine just because things are not done ‘their way’.

Players get aggro and run AWAY from the tank.

Guilds ‘poach’ high-level players from the guild I belong to.

I am talking to another player and they do not listen.

‘Glory seekers’ jump guilds and hamper the guild.

Players try to rip me off in the Auction House.

Players who give the guild I am in, a bad name.

When players in a raid/instance group lack an understanding of raid/instance tactics (e.g., pulling two groups instead of one, casting spells on mobs that are CCed).

General conflict occurs between casual and hardcore players who both attend a raid/instance but expect the same rewards.

Players interfere with a warrior’s aggro.

I lose loot due to ninjaing or someone takes loot just to be nasty.

People who whine constantly about everything.

Guild chat highlights differences between young/older players.*

Raid/instance members argue over loot