VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT IN ONLINE GAME

Abstract

This research article, Virtual Community Management in Online Game is a part of “The Construction of Online Game Virtual Community in Thailand” research. Main purpose of the research is to create business model which leverage Virtual Community management.

This research utilize Qualitative research method and conduct research from 2 research tools such as In-depth interview and Focus group

1. In-depth interview with 3 online game project manager from 3 online game genre such as RPG, FPS, and MOBA then choose only the game that has highest players of each genre, Yulgang, Point Blank, and Hero of Newearth (HoN)

2. Focus group with 5 professional game players who represent Audiences and Virtual Community Participants

The finding is

1. Virtual Community Management relies on Internal Virtual Community factor such as Online Influencer inside community itself alongside with Rules and Regulation of player coexistence, while External factor such as Offline activity to support and strengthen player relationship between offline world.

2. Virtual Community Manager, player and online game company are important stakeholder to manage virtual community. In order to create proper environment for community and monetization, it is important to have proper community manager, who is able to balance between all stakeholders, create proper rule and borderline between all stakeholders, utilize multiple online platform to communicate with player, and moreover clarify objective of virtual community management to support business is one option to leverage virtual community monetization.

3. Relationship of players in offline world extends virtual community life

Recommendations from this research. Online business should establish Community Management department to engage with customers to provide service both online and offline to leverage company and product engagement in long term.