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Storytelling in esports : an empirical study on the viewing frequency and motives of fans

Spaan, R.P. (2020) Storytelling in esports : an empirical study on the viewing frequency and motives of fans.

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Abstract:The purpose of this paper is to investigate what the role of storytelling in esports is and how it influences esports viewing frequency. Storytelling in esports is complex and multifaceted; it ranges from live broadcasts to single tweets and constructs the narrative identity of players, teams and organizations. There is a clear relation between viewing frequency of esports and esports storytelling content. It was investigated whether scales of motivation, gameplay motivation, escapism, community and identification could explain the amount of esports storytelling content people watched in the previous month, but no significant results were found. The paper begins with a theoretical framework on esports, storytelling and the formation of scales based on previous research on esports viewing motives. As a pre-study, an interview with a social media manager was conducted and an expert panel discussion on PR in esports was attended. The main research method is an online survey (n=108) with participants from gaming and esports communities on Reddit and Discord. Data collection was done on demographics and by the use of a 5-point Likert scale of statements regarding viewing motives. Data analysis was performed in terms of correlations, linear and multiple regressions. The discussion of this paper goes into analysis of the results, explanations for the results, limitations of the research, (practical) implications for future research and a conclusion.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies BSc (56615)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/82537
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