Voice in Virtual Worlds: The Design, Use, and Influence of Voice Chat in Online Play

Abstract

Communication is a critical aspect of any collaborative system. In online multiplayer games and virtual worlds it is specially complex. Users are present over long periods and require both synchronous and asynchronous communication, but may prefer to be pseudonymous or engage in identity-play while simultaneously managing virtual and physical use contexts. Initially the only medium offered for player-to-player communication in virtual worlds was text, a medium well-suited to identity-play and asynchronous communication; less so to fast-paced coordination and sociability among friends. During the past decade vendors have introduced facilities for gamers to communicate by voice. Yet little re..