Proteus, the mythical sea god who could alter his appearance at will, embodies one of the promises of online games: the ability to reinvent oneself. Yet inhabitants of virtual worlds rarely achieve this liberty, Nick Yee contends. In fact, although online games evoke a sense of freedom and escapism, careful research demonstrates that nothing could be farther from the truth. Yee shows that virtual worlds perpetuate social norms and stereotypes from the offline world, encouraging racism, misogyny, superstitious thinking and other malicious attitudes. Further, the author finds that virtual worlds provide unparalleled - but rarely recognized - tools for controlling what players think and how they behave. Yee breaks down misconceptions about who plays fantasy games and the extent to which the online and offline worlds operate separately. With a wealth of entertaining and provocative examples, he explains in lay terms what virtual worlds are about and why they matter. He uses gaming as a lens through which to examine the pressing question of what it means to be human in a digital world, and he offers disturbing insights into the subtle but powerful ways that technology can change who we are and how we live. His thought-provoking book is an invitation to think more deeply about virtual games and what they reveal to us about ourselves.