This entry gives an introduction to the study of avatars and player–avatar relations in video games and virtual communities. It presents a short history of avatars, distinguishing between different aspects of the concept and its uses, and then highlighting key debates and research efforts in the field. Drawing on the emerging interdisciplinary field of the philosophy of computer games, the entry provides a brief phenomenological account of avatar‐based play in contemporary 3D games, and addresses the question of player/avatar identity.