For the Horde!: Nationalism and Group Identity in World of Warcraft

Virtual spaces have become essential for many during the COVID19 global pandemic. Video games are understandably a popular choice during such times to socialize and escape the real world, even if for a brief moment. At the same time, among International Relations (IR) literature, scholars have often discussed nationalism as a central aspect of nation- building and a sentiment so powerful that it can be a resource to gain an upper-hand in violent international conflict. This paper applies nationalism literature to virtual worlds, a connection that remains largely unexplored. In order to investigate whether the behavior of World of Warcraft (WoW) players mirror existing indicators of nationalism, I collected survey data from 200 WoW players regarding their gameplay and opinions about the game. I argue that people's sentiment regarding their in-game communities share compelling similarities with that of real- life communities, hinting that perhaps nationalistic sentiments could arise in virtual settings.