Play to win: How competitive modes of play have influenced cultural practice in digital games

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to explore the function of emergence and spectatorship as cultural practices within the competitive arena of Blizzard's World of Warcraft (WoW). The game and its peripheral web spaces and paratexts will be subject to both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, including content analysis and autoethnography. Grounded theory content analysis was used to explore emergence in the context of player gameplay tactics (emergent play). It is argued that players who succeed in the game's competitive arena do so on the privilege of effective tactics and a thorough understanding of the game mechanics. Additional insight into the phenomenon of emergence was gained from a study of paratexts and the ways in which emergence conflicts with authorial intent. The ecology of competitive gaming is comprised not only of players but also spectators. Grounded theory content analysis and quantitative analysis were used to examine the cultural practice of spectatorship. Broadcasting platforms (Twitch.tv and YouTube) facilitate indirect player interaction with games. It is my contention that viewers utilise these broadcasts of high-end play as a form of paratext to guide their individual playstyle. Analyses suggest that the spectatorship of live and recorded emergent gameplay is directly linked to the formulation of gameplay tactics. Data also indicated tension between authorial intent and emergent practices. In some instances players worked with developers as co-authors to highlight malfunctioning gameplay mechanics (exposed via emergent play patterns). Other scenarios involved the conveyance of absolute authorial power by Blizzard. As a result of these differing relationships with players, Blizzard appear to have struggled with the implementation of a linear, single-authored experience. Although my own gameplay experiences guided the exploration of emergence and spectatorship, my expertise with the game facilitated a sophisticated mechanical analysis and allowed me to provide novel cultural insights into competitive play.