Performing Play: Cultural Production on Twitch.Tv Anthony Pellicone
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ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: Performing Play: Cultural Production on Twitch.tv Anthony Pellicone, Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation directed by: Doctor June Ahn, New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Streaming is an emerging practice of videogame culture, where a player broadcasts a live capture of their game-play to an audience. Every day Twitch.tv, the most popular streaming platform, features thousands of streams broadcast to millions of viewers. Streams are detailed multimedia artifacts, and their study allows us to understand how the culture of games is produced, reproduced, and reinvented. In this dissertation, I examine the act of streaming using a theoretical concept that I have developed called ‘performed play’, which combines social performance theory, game culture studies, situated learning, and sociological perspectives in order to understand streaming as an act that produces culture. Through the theoretical construct of performed play, I argue that we can better understand digital game-play as a cultural act. I present two interrelated studies: a grounded theory analysis of a social space dedicated to streaming, and an ethnographic study comprised of seven individual streamers. I find that streaming is a practice comprised of three connected behaviors: assembling technology to produce the digital artifact of the stream, acting as a curator and manager of one’s audience, and projecting a persona as a player. These behaviors are moderated by the goals and desires of the streamer, and influenced by the metrics displayed by Twitch (e.g., viewership). Activity within the practice is further mediated by one’s history, relationship to games, and communities that are imported into the space of the stream. I find that streaming is very much a day-to-day activity, making the stream a blend of one's personal identity alongside an individual interpretation of game culture. Synthesizing findings across both my studies, I conclude that due to the highly personal and quotidian nature of performed game- play, the practice has the potential to change larger game culture by allowing previously marginalized populations to form their own communities as players of games. PERFORMING PLAY: CULTURAL PRODUCTION ON TWITCH.TV by Anthony James Pellicone Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2017 Advisory Committee: Professor Tamara Clegg, Chair Dr. Kari Kraus Dr. June Ahn Dr. Jessica Vitak Dr. Matthew Kirschenbaum © Copyright by Anthony James Pellicone Expected Graduation, Summer of 2017 Acknowledgements This work wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of so many people: Most importantly, my family. My mom and dad, who instilled in me a life- long love of learning from an early age, and then supported my winding path that has most recently lead to my dissertation. My brother, who was my first introduction to the worlds of art, music, games, and culture, and continues to be an inspiration. My nephew, who is a great board game opponent and partner, and helps me to see things from a fresh perspective. To my friends as well, who have helped me to have a life outside of academia, and who have supported me so much with fun, laughter, and simply being there. June, for being the best advisor that a student could ask for. I wouldn’t be where I am without his mentorship and guidance. My committee (Kari, Tammy, Jessica, and Matt) for providing their expert advice, and helping to shape both my theory and my research. The community here at Maryland, which is unparalleled in my academic experience so far. The grad school for a Summer Research Fellowship that helped me carve out the rough shape of this work, and a Wylie Dissertation Fellowship that helped me to write it. The iSchool for a Research Improvement Grant that let me pay my participants fair compensation for their time and effort, and a travel grant that helped me to share my work with the wider world. The University of Maryland Library system for having both a fantastic collection here on campus, as well as awesome Interlibrary Loan capabilities, allowing me to read (and read, and read) both broadly and deeply about the large number of concepts that went into forming this research. And my research participants: without you none of ii this would have been possible. I genuinely had fun watching you play, discuss, and live in the world of streaming. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ i Table of Contents ......................................................................................................... iii List of Figures .............................................................................................................. vi List of Tables .............................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1: Placing Myself into my Research ...................................................................... 1 1.2: Terms and Definitions of the Practice ............................................................... 5 1.3: Performance and Play ...................................................................................... 13 1.4: Looking Forward Through Performing Play ................................................... 20 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature ............................................................................ 25 2.1 Predecessors of Performed Play ........................................................................ 25 2.1.1 What do We know About Performing play? .............................................. 25 2.2 Game Culture: Gameplay as the Everyday ....................................................... 31 2.2.1 Game Cultures: The Practice of Playing .................................................... 31 2.2.2 Constructing Gamer Identity ...................................................................... 35 2.2.3 Reintegrating Performance ........................................................................ 39 2.3 Situated Learning in Games and Game-related Affinity Spaces ...................... 41 2.3.1 Situated Learning in Games ....................................................................... 43 2.3.2 Affinity Spaces as the Site of Game-based Situated Learning .................. 47 2.3.3 Learning and Performing Game Culture .................................................... 51 2.4 Field Analysis: A Theoretical Approach to The Production of Game Culture . 55 2.4.1 Applying Bourdieu to Digital Games ........................................................ 57 2.4.2 The Player Producer: Positioning Performed Play Within the Field of Digital Games ..................................................................................................... 64 2.5 Conclusion: The Field of Performing Play ....................................................... 69 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................. 73 3.1 Study 1 Methodology: Grounded Theory Analysis of a Streaming Affinity Space ....................................................................................................................... 75 3.1.1 Site Selection ............................................................................................. 76 3.1.2 Data Collection .......................................................................................... 78 3.1.3 Data Analysis ............................................................................................. 78 3.1.4 Validity ...................................................................................................... 82 3.1.5 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................... 82 3.2 Study 2 Methodology: Connective Ethnography of Streamers ........................ 84 3.2.1 Participant Selection .................................................................................. 85 3.2.2 Data Collection .......................................................................................... 90 3.2.3 Data Analysis ............................................................................................. 94 3.2.4 Validity ...................................................................................................... 98 3.2.5 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................... 98 3.3 Multi-method Synthesis Between Studies ........................................................ 99 3.3.1 Multi-Method Study Design .................................................................... 101 iiii Chapter 4: “Games are supposed to be fun!” A Grounded Theory Analysis of Performing Play ........................................................................................................ 105 4.1 Assembling Technology ................................................................................. 107 4.2 Building Community ...................................................................................... 111 4.3 Adopting a Gameplay Attitude ....................................................................... 119 4.4