The collective nature of the event, with thousands of players convening on one digital space, has a disruptive effect on the gameplay of others, analogous to that of a sit-in or blockade…Players who are not aware of the event are often surprised as a large group of gnomes runs through their area; sometimes they join the event out of curiosity and learn about the charity cause along the way.
Collister, Lauren B. 2017. “Transformative (H)activism: Breast Cancer Awareness and the World of Warcraft Running of the Gnomes.” Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 25.