Magicians in Video Games, From Mana to Hackers: Towards a Pragmatic Anthropology of Magic

Servais, Olivier
(2025) Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft — Vol. 20, n° 3, p. 404-421 (2025)

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Abstract
This article is based on a ten-year ethnography of World of Warcraft (WoW), a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) within the fantasy genre. It proposes that the notion of "magic" in video games must be understood on two levels: first, as a diegetic mechanic embedded in narratives, game design, and popular imaginaries; second, as a pragmatic social function embodied by players who master hidden infrastructures, notably hackers, programmers, and add-on creators. The article first grounds the discussion in the WoW ethnographic work. Then it traces the genealogy of "mana" from anthropology to gaming. Next it re-examines anthropological theories of magic in relation to video game practice. Finally, it argues that the true magicians of digital communities are those who manipulate invisible codes. By bridging anthropology, game studies, and folklore, the article redefines what it means to be a magician in contemporary virtual worlds.
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Servais, O. (2025). Magicians in Video Games, From Mana to Hackers: Towards a Pragmatic Anthropology of Magic. Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, 20(3), 404-421. https://doi.org/10.1353/mrw.2025.a985969 (Original work published 2025)