TwitterPlay: A case study of fan roleplaying online

Rachel M. Magee, Melinda Sebastian, Alison Novak, Christopher M. Mascaro, Alan Black, Sean P. Goggins

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Using the highly anticipated release of the film version of "The Hunger Games" series as a case study, this study explores online fan community practices that employ the technological affordances of Twitter. We examine roleplaying practices that extend the Hunger Games story for roleplayers and fans. We conducted a discourse analysis examining the practices of active roleplayers, who interact with thousands of other fans and fellow players to continue their experience of the story, and engage in what we term Twitter play. Our findings illustrate how roleplayers are able to use Twitter to expand their experience of media and story. By examining roleplayers' use of Twitter affordances, we find that these performers not only exhibit deep knowledge of their characters and the narrative, but also of Twitter, demonstrated by expanding the uses of the service's affordances to playfully connect the story with popular culture and current events.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCSCW 2013 - Proceedings of the 2013 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work Companion
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
Pages199-202
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)9781450313322
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes
Event2013 2nd ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work Companion, CSCW 2013 - San Antonio, TX, United States
Duration: Feb 23 2013Feb 27 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW

Other

Other2013 2nd ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work Companion, CSCW 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Antonio, TX
Period2/23/132/27/13

Keywords

  • Fan-fiction
  • Play
  • Roleplaying
  • Twitter

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Computer Networks and Communications

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