Social capital in World of Warcraft guilds: Construction and evaluation of a path model

The aim of the present study was to find underlying factors of social capital acquisition in online gaming communities (guilds). 391 players of World of Warcraft were asked about their playing habits, their behavior towards fellow players and the bridging and bonding social capital they received by playing. Path analysis revealed five underlying factors of social capital formation in guilds. Our results confirm and enhance previous findings that playing online games is connected with positive social outcomes, when players go beyond the game and engage in game-related social groups: Joining a guild, being involved in its management and participating in offline events fosters communication with fellow players, enhances the willingness for self-disclosure and thereby increases the chances of gathering social capital.