A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
"I never gave up" : engagement with playable characters and esports players of Overwatch (2019)


Välisalo, T., & Ruotsalainen, M. (2019). "I never gave up" : engagement with playable characters and esports players of Overwatch. In FDG '19 : Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games (Article 40). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3337722.3337769


JYU-tekijät tai -toimittajat


Julkaisun tiedot

Julkaisun kaikki tekijät tai toimittajat: Välisalo, Tanja; Ruotsalainen, Maria

Emojulkaisu: FDG '19 : Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games

Konferenssin paikka ja aika: San Luis Obispo, California, USA, 26.-30.8.2019

ISBN: 978-1-4503-7217-6

Julkaisuvuosi: 2019

Artikkelinumero: 40

Kustantaja: ACM

Julkaisumaa: Yhdysvallat (USA)

Julkaisun kieli: englanti

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3337722.3337769

Julkaisun avoin saatavuus: Ei avoin

Julkaisukanavan avoin saatavuus: 

Julkaisu on rinnakkaistallennettu (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/67440


Tiivistelmä

Esports phenomena have grown rapidly in recent years, and so has research on the topic. Some of the research has also addressed esports fandom (see e.g. Taylor 2012). Nevertheless, studies comparing and contrasting how players and fans engage with the game and the esports based on that game are scarce. This study compares and contrasts how players and fans engage with playable game characters and esports players. The paper draws on previous research in fan studies, sports fandom and esports to examine the relationships of players and fans of the videogame Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment 2016) with the fictional heroes of the game as well as with their favorite professional players in the newly started Overwatch League. We analyse how these relationships are articulated by fans and players, and pay attention to emerging similarities and differences.

The findings show that personality is deemed important for engagement with both, game characters and esports players. In addition, gender and sexual orientation emerged as important factors. By contrast, nationality was deemed important for engagement with esports players, but not with player characters. Further research should concentrate on the connections between esports and identity politics, as well as player characters and identity construction.


YSO-asiasanat: pelihahmot; pelitutkimus; elektroninen urheilu; fanius; kannattajat; pelikulttuuri; digitaaliset pelit; reseptio; yleisötutkimus

Vapaat asiasanat: game characters; esports; esports players; fans; Overwatch


Liittyvät organisaatiot


Hankkeet, joissa julkaisu on tehty


OKM-raportointi: Kyllä

Raportointivuosi: 2019

JUFO-taso: 1


Viimeisin päivitys 2024-08-01 klo 19:51