World of Warcraft and Religion
Can a computer game become a new religion? World of Warcraft seems to come close to that. With more than eleven million players, it is one of the largest multiplayer games at this time. It offers an immense virtual fantasy world that is full of myths, rituals and magic. In the age of a spiritual marketplace where people construct their own religious beliefs and spiritual practices, World of Warcraft seems to fit nicely.
However, can we compare a game to a religion? Doesn't religion imply a transcendent reality? Or do World of Warcraft and a religion have more in common?
Read more in my essay:
Wow, a New Religion? (pdf) 
On the many websites that have referred to my research, it is not always clear what point I make. World of Warcraft is not a religion, but a game. Games and religion have things in common, but are also very different. Games refer to a fictional reality, and religion to an unproveable reality. However, World of Warcraft can become a replacement for a religion.
My Research on World of Warcraft has drawn the attention of the Colorado Daily, Le Monde, and Metro:
- Colorado Daily: CU student explores faith, God and 'World of Warcraft'
- Le Monde: World of Warcraft, Monde Spirituel
- Metro: World Of Warcraft als nieuwe religie?
