The anti-ageing secret of massively multiplayer online game: Managing its lifecycle

Abstract

It is estimated that from 2015 to 2025, the Global Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) market will be growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%. However, rapid market changes have shortened the lifespan of many MMOGs. This market phenomenon may demotivate prospective market players and thus decelerate the market growth. To address the lifespan issue, we conducted a netnographic case study on ‘TalesRunner’, which has successfully operated for longer than many other MMOGs. Based on the data from over 5.2 million messages from its official forum, as well as data from different secondary sources, we established a lifecycle model of MMOG in conjunction with the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and offered theoretical implications for both MMOG and lifecycle theory. JEL Classification: M15