We conducted eleven semi-structured interviews with players of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV: Online to understand their modding practices. Drawing on a conceptual frame bringing together identity, identity work, and empowerment, we find that modding facilitates empowerment through expression, connection, and participation. We discuss how modding serves as a method of expression-based routine infrastructuring. We then propose design guidelines supporting intentionally malleable design.

Author 1’s Modded Miqo’te (left) & Vanilla Miqo’te (right)