Välisalo, Tanja; Ruotsalainen, Maria

doi:10.1145/3337722.3337769

dc.contributor.author	Välisalo, Tanja
dc.contributor.author	Ruotsalainen, Maria
dc.date.accessioned	2020-01-21T13:35:51Z
dc.date.available	2020-01-21T13:35:51Z
dc.date.issued	2019
dc.identifier.citation	Välisalo, T., & Ruotsalainen, M. (2019). "I never gave up" : engagement with playable characters and esports players of Overwatch. In <i>FDG '19 : Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games</i> (Article 40). ACM. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3337722.3337769" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1145/3337722.3337769</a>
dc.identifier.other	CONVID_32724793
dc.identifier.uri	https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/67440
dc.description.abstract	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.	en
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.language	eng
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.publisher	ACM
dc.relation.ispartof	FDG '19 : Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games
dc.rights	In Copyright
dc.subject.other	game characters
dc.subject.other	esports
dc.subject.other	esports players
dc.subject.other	fans
dc.subject.other	Overwatch
dc.title	"I never gave up" : engagement with playable characters and esports players of Overwatch
dc.type	conferenceObject
dc.identifier.urn	URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202001211392
dc.contributor.laitos	Musiikin, taiteen ja kulttuurin tutkimuksen laitos	fi
dc.contributor.laitos	Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies	en
dc.contributor.oppiaine	Nykykulttuurin tutkimus	fi
dc.contributor.oppiaine	Hyvinvoinnin tutkimuksen yhteisö	fi
dc.contributor.oppiaine	Contemporary Culture	en
dc.contributor.oppiaine	School of Wellbeing	en
dc.type.uri	http://purl.org/eprint/type/ConferencePaper
dc.relation.isbn	978-1-4503-7217-6
dc.type.coar	http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_5794
dc.description.reviewstatus	peerReviewed
dc.type.version	acceptedVersion
dc.rights.copyright	© 2019 ACM
dc.rights.accesslevel	openAccess	fi
dc.relation.conference	International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games
dc.relation.grantnumber	312397
dc.subject.yso	reseptio
dc.subject.yso	pelitutkimus
dc.subject.yso	yleisötutkimus
dc.subject.yso	digitaaliset pelit
dc.subject.yso	fanius
dc.subject.yso	pelihahmot
dc.subject.yso	elektroninen urheilu
dc.subject.yso	pelikulttuuri
dc.subject.yso	kannattajat
dc.format.content	fulltext
jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p24663
jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p21187
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jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p22353
jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p21709
jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p25195
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jyx.subject.uri	http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p21319
dc.rights.url	http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en
dc.relation.doi	10.1145/3337722.3337769
dc.relation.funder	Suomen Akatemia	fi
dc.relation.funder	Research Council of Finland	en
jyx.fundingprogram	Huippuyksikkörahoitus, SA	fi
jyx.fundingprogram	Centre of Excellence, AoF	en
jyx.fundinginformation	This research was supported by the Academy of Finland project Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies (CoE-GameCult, 312397).
dc.type.okm	A4