How the Online Game Shaped the Player’s Experiences

Abstract

The emergence of New Media has innovated the medium for human communication. The new
media provided by technology has created a new way of communicating, including communication through
online game activity. This researchinquiries into how online games can shape the experience of
communication for players. DotA was chosen in this research because it is characterized as a team game.
This research uses a qualitative approach; the data collected is from observation and focus group discussion
among team members. The results show that the interaction process among the players not only happened
when they are online but also when they were offline. The immersion of the player in the game space
indicates that the players are not aware of everything around them and they lose track of time. It’s because
DotA gives them enjoyment and arises the feelings of satisfaction, being angry, being upset, or being
challenged. The post-game experience shaped by DotAdoes not completely end when the players go offline.
The game still occupied their time as the players kept on thinking about the game they had played, or even
for the next game they will play.