This book explores how after 20 years of existence, virtual world games have evolved: the social landscapes within digital worlds have become rigid and commodified, and "play" and "fun" have become rational and mechanical products.

• Explains how social rigidity in digital communities often robs these spaces of experimentation and identity play

• Suggests that new technologies such as virtual reality are unlikely to revolutionize the media or cause dramatic social change

About the Author
Zek Valkyrie, PhD, is an instructor of sociology at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS).

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