Waiting for a Release: The Expectation in Virtual Gaming Communities

ABSTRACT This study examines how virtual gaming communities influence and maintain player expectations before, during, and after a game's release. A mixed‐methods study was conducted, comprising a netnography followed by an experiment. First, a netnographic study was conducted over 12 months, tracking communities to understand player behavior and analyzing discussions and interactions within the online communities of God of War players across multiple platforms. Second, an experiment was conducted with a 2 (expectation: high vs. low) × 2 (commentary: positive vs. negative) design to determine the effect of expectation after comments from community members. The findings reveal that gaming communities serve as both amplifiers and regulators of player expectations, influencing anticipation, disappointment, and post‐release reception. The study also highlights issues of rivalry, toxicity, and community‐driven narratives that shape consumer sentiment. Findings suggest that it is important for managers to monitor official and unofficial communities and respond quickly to their members. Communities are important for tracking the expectations that consumers have about the product and provide opportunities to improve the service before and after the release. Based on these findings, we propose a framework for managing expectations in gaming communities, providing strategic guidance for developers seeking to manage player expectations throughout the lifecycle of a game.