Abstract
As a growing but already massive entertainment medium, games are discussed in all
social environments, uncovering an unexplored area of cultural criticism. YouTube in
particular acts as a vast library of game reviews that are posted by both consumer and
professional reviewers. The current study investigates how these reviews construct a
discourse of games. A quantitative content analysis on 150 randomly sampled videoformat reviews applied discourse categorizations found among film reviewers
complemented with a coding frame specifically designed for the gaming YouTube
format. Results show that high-art discursive styles typically found with professional
critics of traditional media now apply to a continuum of YouTube creators, while the
consumer-oriented popular aesthetic discourse is not mirrored as closely. Reviewers
can set themselves apart by offering interpretations of the games they play, for
example, or reviewing from a first-person perspective. Conclusions includes avenues
for further research on specific game reviewing discourse.
social environments, uncovering an unexplored area of cultural criticism. YouTube in
particular acts as a vast library of game reviews that are posted by both consumer and
professional reviewers. The current study investigates how these reviews construct a
discourse of games. A quantitative content analysis on 150 randomly sampled videoformat reviews applied discourse categorizations found among film reviewers
complemented with a coding frame specifically designed for the gaming YouTube
format. Results show that high-art discursive styles typically found with professional
critics of traditional media now apply to a continuum of YouTube creators, while the
consumer-oriented popular aesthetic discourse is not mirrored as closely. Reviewers
can set themselves apart by offering interpretations of the games they play, for
example, or reviewing from a first-person perspective. Conclusions includes avenues
for further research on specific game reviewing discourse.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 |
| Event | DiGRA 2019: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo-Mix - Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan Duration: 6 Aug 2019 → 10 Aug 2019 http://www.digra2019.org/ |
Conference
| Conference | DiGRA 2019 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | DiGRA 2019 |
| Country/Territory | Japan |
| City | Kyoto |
| Period | 6/08/19 → 10/08/19 |
| Internet address |