Abstract

"The Bedroom Programmers: How A Community of Hobbyists Built the Online Gaming Industry"

Clarissa Fontaine , University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (fontaine@uwm.edu)

From the beginning of the home computer market one of their main functions was playing games. Consequently, games were an important driver of the early development of home computers both as a technology and as an industry. In this study conducted through analysis of primary sources including gaming magazines, advertisements, and other early game materials, the evidence shows that community-driven innovation was central to the development of online games and the industry formed around them. Beginning with Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) and Multi-User Dungeons (MUDs), this study examines how hobbyists used emerging technologies to build virtual worlds and foster global communities long before the internet became mainstream. These early platforms not only enabled asynchronous communication and gameplay but also laid the groundwork for collaborative storytelling and user-generated content.

This study then analyzes the transformative impact of the internet as it developed throughout the 1990s, highlighting how games like Civilization II and Doom leveraged online connectivity and modding communities to expand gameplay options and encourage player engagement. The rise of multiplayer games and the advent of shareware precipitated a shift in how the industry developed, advertised, and distributed games. By the turn of the millennium, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as EverQuest and World of Warcraft had evolved from the early MUD construction, incorporating community members into playtesting and enlisting experienced players as “guides” in the game.

Using historical framing, this study examines the development of the online games industry as a labor of love from a passionate community. Innovation in the industry was kickstarted by hobbyists and their influence remained well after the industry became more mainstream and standardized. From the early MUD days to the present MMORPGs the industry still relies heavily on the community that built it to remain relevant and move forward.