Abstract
Can frivolous gaming be good for more than mindless entertainment? Some proponents claim that “gaming is good for the soul” and can lead to the acquisition of really useful skills. But what do the gamers themselves think? Five avid gamers were interviewed about their own sense of meaningful skill acquisition through playing World of Warcraft in their spare time. They shared both what skills they felt they acquired through their gaming, and which of those were useful to them in real life. The findings and some of their consequences are discussed.