EDUCATIONAL APPLICATION OF VIDEOGAMES: THE CASE OF WORLD OF WARCRAFT

Video games have become the most diffused entertainment and leisure products in recent years, surpassing the film industry and music. Nevertheless, there are a few studies about the educational possibilities of videogames and they focus only on particular products. In this article, we presented the results of a one year research focused on the game World of Warcraft. The research methodology is characterized by the combination of different techniques and approaches: on the one hand, a documentary about the game has been produced, then proceeded to the analysis of audiovisual product, enriched with an exchange of questionnaires with experts and users of the game. Besides surveys by 220 players and former players; interviews with the protagonists of the documentary and interviews with experts, the educational potential of video games are analyzed. The article presents the methodological development with a range of evidence to conclude that there can be education through this type of game - wide possibilities to be explored-especially relating to the acquisition of digital skills, promoting digital and emotional literacy player development.