As the use of videogames as framing devices presents a meta-referential commentary on videogames in the real world, these represented social affordances suggest that virtual online spaces provide unique opportunities and alibis for direct suicide communication.

and that game design features meant to bring players together, like guilds and factions, can enable player authenticity and openness by attracting like-minded players, for better or for worse.

that acts embedded in the process of engaging with MMOs, like logging out and the consequent disappearance of a character, can serve as a communicative tool denoting finality;

In particular, I found that written communication through an MMO’s chat box can provide an alibi by turning seemingly serious statements into jokes;

Through close readings of three moments in "Agony of a Dying MMO," I found that MMOs alter, enable, and restrict specific types of communication through a combination of their game design features, their user interfaces, and their existence as (and contiguity with) online spaces.

As suicide communication is often indirect, I focused on how the social logic and rules of MMOs enable direct suicide communication.

To analyse how MMOs are represented as spaces with internal rules of communication, I focused my analysis on three instances of direct suicide communication—communicative acts directly referring to past, present, or future suicidal intent.

To argue that point, I conducted a close reading of "Agony of a Dying MMO," a singleplayer demo game that depicts the final hours of service of a fictional MMO through a series of semi-explorable vignettes showing the activities of fictional players.

My first paper, "Fictional Videogames as Framing Devices: Suicide Communication in MMOs," is out now on Eludamos.

In the paper, I argue that the use of fictional MMOs as framing devices serves as a reflexive narrative tool that suggests MMOs as spaces with their own internal rules of communication.