The Network Externality and Game-Playing Time Characteristics in Different Types of MMORPGs

This paper researched the network externality in different types of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs), found that the network externality is stronger in User-generated MMORPG than in Pre-structured MMORPG, due to the feature of the two types of MMORPGs. The existing of network externality leads to the differences in the game-playing time characteristics of the two types of MMORPGs, the total online time in User-generated game grows faster than its population growth, while the total online time in Pre-structured game exhibits a similar growth pattern with its population. Therefore, the game publisher should take appropriate operation strategy for different types of MMORPGs.