Devie Rahmawati, *Deddy Mulyana & Dyah Safitri
Abstract:
This study aimed to underpin the flow of gaming knowledge amongst online gamers in Indonesia. The findings were derived from the observations of 152 Dota 2 players in the cafes of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), Indonesia. Specifically, this study intended to explore the motivation for players to share knowledge with fellow gamers, the knowledge sharing patterns used and the process involved in developing a skilled and cohesive team to play Dota 2. This study adopted an interpretive approach whereby research participants were observed and interviewed in their natural location. The results revealed that gamers share their gaming knowledge based on their closeness, trust and cooperation that were acquired through online and offline friendships to win games. Cultural differences were not obstacles to the process of knowledge sharing. The key factor is mutual respect between players where language becomes a bridge of communication among cross-cultural players. Since this is an interpretive study, that deployed purposive sampling in its data collection, the results of the study cannot be generalized for the gamer population in Indonesia.
Keywords: Dota 2, ethnography, Indonesia, knowledge sharing, online game