Exploring an era of digitally-mediated relationships where many people build and sustain both platonic and romantic relationships with technology. <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=b8f203cdb7&e=4ef1ac0778> *Real Virtual Relationships* <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=8c2f2df277&e=4ef1ac0778> View this email in your browser <http://mailchi.mp/b3954727da90/y9xqtxkmg6-2739885?e=4ef1ac0778> <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=1148a90f2e&e=4ef1ac0778> We are happy to announce the publication of a NEW ISSUE of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research (JVWR): Volume 10, Number 2: *Real Virtual Relationships* Issue editors: *Richard E. Ferdig*, Kent State University, USA, *Kristine E. Pytash*, Kent State University, USA, and *Glenn W. Muschert*, Miami University, USA. We live in an era of digitally-mediated relationships. From finding a spouse online to daily interactions facilitated through social media, many people build and sustain both platonic and romantic relationships with technology. Virtual worlds are also spaces for these interactions. This special issue is dedicated to an exploration of such topics in a collection of articles exploring “real virtual relationships.” Issue Editor Corner The Recursive Relationship between Virtual and Real in Relationships <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=137d990d69&e=4ef1ac0778> *Richard E. Ferdig, Kristine E. Pytash, Glenn W. Muschert* Peer Reviewed Research Papers Virtually Together: Examining Pre-Existing Relationships in MMOG Play <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=3b0e5fa11d&e=4ef1ac0778> Kelly Bergstrom, Jennifer Jenson, Suzanne de Castell, Nicholas Taylor De-Roling from Experiences and Identities in Virtual Worlds <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=1688262491&e=4ef1ac0778> Stefano Gualeni, Daniel Vella, Johnathan Harrington Empathy with Non-Player Characters? An Empirical approach to the Foundations of Human/Non-Human Relationships <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=c8854b0a58&e=4ef1ac0778> Jonathan Harth Harsh Words and Deeds: Systematic Content Analyses of Offensive* User Behavior in the Virtual Environments of Online First-Person Shooter Games <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=d173d354aa&e=4ef1ac0778> Adrienne Holz Ivory, James D. Ivory, Winston Wu, Anthony M. Limperos, Nathaniel Andrew, Brandon S. Sesler Not Playing the Game: Negative Opinions about Online Dating and Video Gaming among Non-Participants <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=c79f0bdcce&e=4ef1ac0778> Max Marc ------------------------------ More from JVWR This publication is also an invitation for you, readers, to first explore JVWR’s previous issues on our website, and then contribute as authors or even as editors of future special issues. Issue editors take full charge of one issue. The* Assembled issue* 2018, as all our assembled issues, is a place for various papers, on the topic of the journal - that are being collected during the year. Feel free to upload your research paper at any time to our system here <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=67c3d42803&e=4ef1ac0778>and it will be considered as candidate for publication on Q1 2018. Each issue is managed by one managing Issue Editor with an option for 2-3 co-editors. The managing issue editor is the prime contact person and the leader behind it. If you are interested, please visit For Issue Editors <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=e9b07c01f2&e=4ef1ac0778> page to learn more about becoming a JVWR editor, and send us a word. Things you can do: - Future issue for 2017 already in the making is EVE Online <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=b7695da0fa&e=4ef1ac0778> - the space-themed massively multiplayer game. - You are invited to browse JVWR's previous issues <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=a98f9612cf&e=4ef1ac0778> . - Subscribe <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=ebe8f2b3e2&e=4ef1ac0778> to our mailing list (on the top left of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research home page http://www.jvwresearch.org <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=1e2324a96d&e=4ef1ac0778>) to receive our news and updates (no spam guaranteed.) - Connect with us on twitter <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=657222502c&e=4ef1ac0778> @TheJVWR and on our Facebook <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=ce3bc646c1&e=4ef1ac0778> page (TheJVWR). Thankfully, *Prof. Yesha Y. Sivan* Editor In-Chief *The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research* http://jvwresearch.org <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=15471b2b1d&e=4ef1ac0778> <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=4105218884&e=4ef1ac0778> Real Virtual Relationships Vol. 10, No. 2 <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=97662ea880&e=4ef1ac0778> <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=609536e9ca&e=4ef1ac0778> <http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=533a51c83f&e=4ef1ac0778> *Copyright © 2017 Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, All rights reserved.*