Discourse at play: construction and professionalism of video-based game reviews

Abstract

As a growing but already massive entertainment medium, games are discussed in all social environments, uncovering an unexplored area of cultural criticism. YouTube in particular acts as a vast library of game reviews that are posted by both consumer and professional reviewers. The current study investigates how these reviews construct a discourse of games. A quantitative content analysis on 150 randomly sampled video- format reviews applied discourse categorizations found among film reviewers complemented with a coding frame specifically designed for the gaming YouTube format. Results show that high-art discursive styles typically found with professional critics of traditional media now apply to a continuum of YouTube creators, while the consumer-oriented popular aesthetic discourse is not mirrored as closely. Reviewers can set themselves apart by offering interpretations of the games they play, for example, or reviewing from a first-person perspective. Conclusions includes avenues for further research on specific game reviewing discourse.