'Ibelin': A Poignant Tale of Life and Connection in the Virtual World

The Sundance Film Festival documentary, now on Netflix, explores the profound impact of a young man's online life in 'World of Warcraft'.

Mats Steen, a 25-year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spent his final years playing 'World of Warcraft' under the name 'Ibelin', forming deep connections and impacting lives in the virtual world.
Upon Mats' death, his parents discovered the extent of his online life and influence, initially through thousands of condolence messages and later through 42,000 pages of archived in-game dialogue and descriptions.
Mats' online persona, Ibelin, was a popular figure in the game, even forming a romantic relationship with another player's avatar and helping a mother connect with her autistic son through the game.
The documentary 'Ibelin', directed by Benjamin Ree, uses Mats' blog entries, interviews, and animated reenactments of in-game interactions to tell Mats' story from three different perspectives.
The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, has been picked up by Netflix and has received positive reviews for its poignant and powerful storytelling.