Information Sharing Behavior in the Online Game Virtual Communities: The Bahamut Case of World of Warcraft

[[abstract]]The virtual communities provide online users a more convenient channels of information and knowledge sharing. Sharing what they know in this virtual communities will spend personal time and energy but gain no monetary reward to these contributors. What are the reasons that they are willing to share their information? The study focus on the Bahamut case of world of Warcraft to know the member’s information sharing behavior model, their social network in the virtual community, and their motivation for participation in the information sharing. The study takes Bahamut of world of Warcraft as the case. It is conducted with qualitative research by using semi-structured interview, participant observation, and documental analysis to collect necessary research information to analyses. Through this research, we can find that Bahamut members of their information sharing motivation are attitude, eager to learn, and experience. In the aspect of social network structure in the virtual community, most ties are weak ties and the connection between information giver and taker in the process of information sharing are also weak ties. The study shows two kinds of online information sharing behavior model, namely the “branched” and “recycling”. Branch-based life cycle of their information sharing behavior shows more functional but less interactive, contains a wide. Recycling life cycle of their information sharing behavior shows more interactive but less functional, contains a single track. This study suggests effective concept of reference for different types of information sharing behavior to encourage the community itself to maintain the wisdom continue to grow as time.