Abstract
This paper aims to investigate the power social capital holds in cross-platform online gaming communities, and argues that socially completive multiplayer games are more popular because of their development of social capital. Fortnite: Battle Royale, although a relatively new game, is a prime example of how the cross-platform communities have resulted in the viral success of a game. This paper explores the theory of communities, both online and offline, and their relationship to socially competitive multiplayer gaming. It will discuss the different types of gaming communities and how they span across numerous different platforms. It will also discuss the social capital that is held by members of the Fortnite: Battle Royale (Fortnite) community and how the community has grown since the game’s first release.
Fortnite: The Viral Success of Socially Competitive Online Multiplayer Games and their Communities
The transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has led to the creation of a more collaborative and interactive Internet. Web 2.0 is about the development of communication and content that was not possible in Web 1.0 (Davis, 2009). Online multiplayer games are a development of Web 2.0 that have been able to combine console gaming systems (such as the PlayStation 4) with the Internet to create a unique online experience. This paper aims to discuss how the popularity of socially competitive online multiplayer games have impacted on the cross-platform communities surrounding the games and the social capital these communities hold. We will be examining online multiplayer games that are considered to be competitive but are also used for social interaction between players. These online multiplayer games have resulted in the formation of communities that exist outside the gaming consoles and games itself, and can be found across multiple different platforms online. These communities that are formed around a game create social capital that both individuals and the community hold. Katz defines social capital as a set of shared values and expectations that a community holds. It is about the power people hold through their social networks and the value that is placed on that power (Katz 2004). Social capital is especially important in gaming communities as it revolves around trust and cooperation. This paper will discuss how the popularity of an online socially competitive multiplayer game can result in social capital that spreads across communities that are established in different platforms across the Internet. Using the free-to-play online game ‘Fortnite: Battel Royale’ (Fortnite) as an example of a socially competitive online multiplayer game that players have formed communities in, not only, the game platform itself (PlayStation 4) but across multiple other platforms as well (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram etc.). Fortnite: Battle Royale is a third-person shooter, survival game. It involves up to 100 players (who can play solo or in squads of two or four) that compete to be the last man standing (“Epic Games’ Fortnite”, n.d.). The game involves a vast selection of weapons that are scattered across the map and a constantly shrinking safe zone that executes lethal damage to player’s health when caught outside it. Building aspects incorporated into the gameplay elevates this game above similar games within the genre. Players can destroy objects in the environment to collect materials that allow them to build defenses to protect themselves or to help them travel (“Epic Games’ Fortnite”, n.d.).
Community Theory and Practice
Community is a social system. It relies on the social interaction, common ties and psycho-cultural bonds that link people together (Katz, 2004). A community is a network of people whose social interactions have formed a group of likeminded people who support one another. Communities can exist in both the physical and virtual environments, sometimes switching between the two. Online communities can break through barriers that physical communities may have, like geographical location, gender, race, ethnicity and age (Katz & Rice, 2002). The absence of these barriers allows for the online space to create communities that thrive on the diversity of common interests and goals that create a sense of belonging for an individual. Katz discusses four types of communities: traditional communities, imaginary communities, pseudo communities and social networks (Katz, 2004). Traditional communities are closely linked with the design of physical communities. They promote the ideas of co-dependency and commonness, achieving a collective purpose. Social networks are about the communities formed online, they are about individuals and their personal networks; what communities they choose to be a part of. This type of community provides a sense of belong for the individual who has now become the center of their own community (Katz, 2004). Imagined communities are formed online but are still linked to the physical world (Katz, 2004). These communities encompass the ideas of social networks while creating an imagined form of sentiment in the physical world (Katz, 2004). And lastly, pseudo communities have very similar characteristics to that of a traditional community but, are formed virtually rather than in a physical geo-graphical location (Katz, 2004). Fortnite: Battle Royale can be considered a social network, because the majority of the communities surrounding the game are only present online, and focuses on the individual experience within that community. However, smaller Fortnite communities could also be considered imagined communities. These imagined communities can be seen where smaller communities are formed in the physical world to play together, and discuss the game.
Virtual communities are often seen to produce what are known as ‘weak ties’. Weak ties describe distant or casual relationships (Porter, 2015). Typically formed online, weak ties link individuals to a plethora of information across social networks and communities. This information exchange within communities can be important in online gaming communities as it can help players to advance in the games and facilitates player-to-player interaction. Communication is a key part of communities and often results in weak ties converting into stronger, more personal ties. The compelling nature of online gaming communities is that a community focused around one specific game does not have to live within the confides of that gaming platform. The social aspect of gaming has allowed for communities to form outside of the parameters of an online multiplayer game. For example, the communities centered around Fortnite are not only distributed between the platforms of the gaming console such as forums and chats but appear on other online platforms. These platforms range from streaming and video content on Twitch (a live video streaming platform) and YouTube, to microblogging sites like Twitter and discussion websites like Reddit. Each of these platforms contribute to a much larger overarching community solely dedicated and invested in Fortnite. These communities allow players to form social connections and Koivisto argues that it is the reason why players continue to play a game (Koivisto, 2003). Communities allow players to express themselves, and create discussions and their own content surrounding a game. This is also closely linked with the social capital surrounding online gaming communities and the power it can hold.
Social Capital and Online Multiplayer Gaming
The popularity of online multiplayer games is based on its social aspects. Games, such as Fortnite, can become very competitive but still facilitate sociality through head-set conversations and online multiplayer team battles. Social capital has become an import concept in the formation of social interactions and relationships online (Trepte et al., 2012). It has many effects on communities and the individual members in that community. Social capital builds support, trust, and cooperation (Trepte et al., 2012). It helps participants to solve collective problems, widens the awareness of interconnectivity between people, increases trust and aids the process of communication (Putnam, 2000). Examples of the significance of social capital is demonstrated in cross-platform communities around Fortnite, and the value the communities place in members of that community. Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, Twitch and numerous other platforms have facilitated the creation of these communities. To show the scale of these communities you can look at the follower size of Fortnite on Twitter and Twitch. The official Twitter account of the game has over 2.2 million followers and connects with players by providing them with updates, news and replying to the community’s queries and questions (“Fortnite (@FortniteGame)”, n.d.). On Twitch, there are over 10.4 million followers of Fortnite streams and videos. On platforms such as Twitch, and YouTube, a video sharing platform, have created Fortnite communities around popular content creators. The number one Twitch streamer, ‘ninja’, has been claimed as a “god” in the Fortnite community (Nattrass, 2018). With an unprecedented 108 million channel views and over 4.4 million subscribers, ninja has established himself as an esteemed member of the Fortnite community. YouTubers such as ‘Ali-A’, ‘elrubiousOMG’, ‘Willyrex’ and ‘ninja’ (again) are also prominent with between 6-28 million subscribers apiece (“Top 250 YouTubers games Channels”, 2018). These gamers have built their social capital around the Fortnite community. Their popularity is not just equated to the entertainment they provide, but also the sense of belonging and support other players subscribe to. These cross-platform communities are the reason why socially competitive online multiplayer games are so virally popular.
Popularised Online Multiplayer Games
In 2018 PlayStation released statistics of their top ten downloaded games. This includes Call of Duty: WWII, Grand Theft Auto V, NBA 2K18 and Rocket League (Massongill, 2018). Each of these games involve both an offline single player and/or multiplayer mode, as well as an online peer-to-peer multiplayer mode. However, the second highest downloaded game of 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn, only supported an online-only multiplayer mode, rather than offline single player and multiplayer modes. The popularity of these games may be contributed to a multitude of factors, but it is the sociability of the online multiplayer aspects that become a highlighting factor. PlayStation consoles offer a chat system they call ‘party’. Creating a party allows for individuals to voice and text chat with their PlayStation friends, and other players, whilst in a game or using other PlayStation applications (“About parties”, n.d.). Parties are an important aspect of gaming as it allows players to socialise with their friends and the wider gaming community. Players can connect with each other, and this facilitates the manifestation of relationships outside the limitation of geographical location. This social side of gaming is one of the strongest motivators for players to continue playing a game, and forms both pseudo communities and social networks (Trepte et al., 2012).
The success of Fortnite has been swift. It’s accessibility and competitiveness has led to its rise as one of the most popular online socially competitive multiplayer games. On February 4th 2018 Fortnite’s servers crashed when the game hit a peak of 3.4 million concurrent players (Nunneley, 2018). This rapid scale of growth since the game was released in September 2017 was unimaginable for the game developers. With over 45 million players it has stood out against other popular games. It has been labelled as a “relationship building, strategic masterpiece of warfare”, as it has enabled social bonding and team building that isn’t as possible in other online multiplayer games (Fortnite: An exploration of a cultural phenomenon, 2018). These statistics show that it is clear that the game is widely popular and the communities have a large span, but it is also important to acknowledge the smaller communities that form inside these larger ones. Individuals may only participate in their own personal social networks. They may only talk to people that they already know offline and do not want to socialise with players that they do not know. These smaller communities may not come in participate directly with the larger communities but by association they are contributing to the overarching community of Fortnite, and online multiplayer gaming communities as a whole. However, some scholars note that these gaming communities can result in an increase in anti-social behaviour (Trepte et al., 2012). It can form addictions, increase isolation and deteriorate offline relationships between players and their peers (Trepte et al., 2012).
Conclusion
Communities are a key part of humanity. They create networks of individuals who have come together to bond over their common interests and connect with people. The support and security they provide were once limited to geographical location but now, with the arrival of Web 2.0, communities span across all areas of life. People can find their own space within the Internet that celebrates their interests with other like-minded individuals. Gaming communities are just one example of the vast network of communities that exist online. The pseudo communities provide support for gamers and creates relationships between players that may not have existed otherwise. Online socially competitive multiplayer games promote sociability and builds social capital between gamers. Players are able to converse not only through the game itself but across different platforms on the Internet. Through livestreams, gamers like ‘ninja’ and ‘Ali-A’ are able to showcase their abilities and provide help and insight into the games they play. The popularity of socially competitive games are tied to the online multiplayer aspect they provide. Games like Fortnite: Battle Royale have become viral because of the community that has formed around the game. The players have found something that they love to play and are sharing that with the people around them, both online and offline.
References
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Header image retrieved from: Alpha Coders
© 2018 Briana Marino. All Rights Reserved.
Hi Briana,
Great paper! I found your point about social capital fascinating, because I never really thought of the concept outside of celebrities and activists. However, gaming is such a globally recognised activity today, and it makes sense that there would be community leaders or highly popular gamers who would see the benefits of building social capital. I’m curious to know if you think there are some game developers who rely on prominent members within gaming communities to help promote their games? For example less well known developers, or indie games.
I also found your discussion about the widespread community around ‘Fortnite’, and how it flows across multiple platforms, really interesting. Although the community around the game is currently helping sustain its initial popularity boom, do you believe that ‘Fortnite’ will be able to maintain it’s current momentum? Will the community continue to grow, or do you believe it will fade out? Do you believe there is enough engagement to sustain this community into the future?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Catherine.
Hello Catherine and Briana,
Why am I not surprised someone did a paper on Fortnite? 🙂 In regards to Fortnite’s exploding popularity, I think the game’s player base will settle down at some stage. I imagine exponential growth can’t last for ever. However, Epic Games has done a good job of continuing the “hype” for as long as possible through additional content and advertising, etc. I think the free-to-play model also lends itself to continuing this “games as a service” business model, which would maintain and increase the player base. Furthermore, because of the large number of influencers playing the game, and even it’s acceptance into “mainstream” society, the game will maintain a very significant player base. What do you reckon the player base/community will be in a year or two?
Hi Zachary,
Very interesting points! I completely agree with you, in that it has become a “mainstream” game because I haven’t actually gotten around to playing it yet, but I have heard about it through many different channels and media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and even this conference!). I think you’re right that it will probably settle down a bit, but I don’t think that is likely to happen for a little while yet.
Briana what are your thoughts?
Hi Briana,
You’ve made some great points here! I like how you went into great detail about the different types of communities (traditional communities, imaginary communities, pseudo communities and social networks). It’s also great to see how you introduced Fortnite and its dominance within postmodern society. Little do people know about the its current space and its nice to see some spotlight shed on the topic. It would have been great to see a couple of more stats from ‘Ninja’ having the highest concurrent amount of viewers by an individual in a given stream as well as his loyal subscribers.
Do you think other game developers will learn from the current success of Fortnite for future battle royale titles? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading your paper, being a gamer myself I resonated with a lot of the content within your piece. Great work!
Best,
Marco 🙂
Hi Cat, Zachary and Marco!
Thanks so much for your comments and kind words! I figured I would combine my replies to you all so I don’t lose my train of thought. And apologies in advance for how long this reply is haha.
I find Fortnite such an interesting topic for reasons you all stated. I have never seen a game continue to rise in popularity for such a considerable amount of time before, and I have no doubt that it has to do with the communities around it. Even Pokemon Go began to die out in just over a month. Fortnite has been a continued success for almost 8 months now and I agree with Zachary that Epic Games has done a really good job.
I’ve never been very good at predicting the future or thinking ahead, but based on what I’ve seen I have hope that Fortnite will stay steady for the rest of the year. In the past month Epic Games has had a lot of hype built around the meteor and when/where it’ll crash (hello Dusty Divot). And then there is also the new Thanos mode that was introduced recently with the release of Avengers: Infinity War, and that whole thing with Ninja playing with Drake and Logic. At the moment I think Epic Games has been focusing on bringing Fortnite more into the ‘mainstream’ (especially with the new Thanos mode) and with a new influx of players I think I could safely predict another 6 months of steady growth.
Marco, I agree with you about including more about Ninja. But, I feel I would have needed a lot larger word count to delve down that path. I don’t know much myself about game development but I think it would be safe to assume that other developers would definitely be taking a leaf or two out of Fortnite’s book. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw games in the future that followed a similar business model to that of Epic Games (especially in terms of marketing and even their free-to-play model). Fortnite Battle Royale’s success seems rather unprecedented, and I say specify Battle Royale because it isn’t even the original game mode. But all in all I’m very interested to see how the game progresses in the coming months, and if/when it climaxes and if the player base will significantly decline.
I’ve certainly gone off on a bit of a spiel but I hope I answered all of your questions. I’m interested to see what you guys think and if we have similar thoughts about Fortnite’s longevity. Do you think I’m being too optimistic? Or am I not giving enough credit to the fanbase, and that the game could continue to stay popular for years to come?
I really do think that Fortnite will stay very popular for years to come. The investment by Epic Games, combined with the addictive nature of the game, a huge amount of influencers promoting the game, a young player base who will likely game for years, an engaged community, and many other things, really puts this game in a good position for the future.
Hi Briana,
This is such an interesting paper! Fortnite as a topic is quite popular right now and especially with it taking on other mediums such as mobile phones which was quite controversial. The way you talk about community and gaming is quite intriguing as people use the internet as a safe haven and are able to find their own safe space. There is so much hype around fortnite that everyone is playing it, from young to the old which creates a big community, however what kind of community do you really think a game such as fortnite creates? A lot of people play games such as this but don’t really get involved in the community, or affect it negatively, what are your thoughts at that area of fornite?
Thanks!
Tiffany Kennedy.
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks so much for reading my paper! I do think that Fortnite has created a positive, and strong, imagined communities and social networks that I mentioned in my paper. While some players may not actively seek out communities to participant in (like participating in sub-reddits for example), you could find that most, if not all players, do contribute to both the larger community and their own personal communities. By liking posts on social media, or playing squads in the game itself, players are participating in their communities. Even by talking to your friends about your win streak (or lack of in my case) it is creating a discussion in your community. Of course, there will be cases where people create negative environments on the internet, but I find that in the Fortnite communities I have been a part of or looked into, the positive experiences greatly outweigh the negative ones.
Hi Briana,
The new Thanos mode is a really cool way that Epic Games is attempting to continue to maintain its popularity, especially with ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ having just broken box office records. This has probably also encouraged some Marvel fans to be exposed to the game, and therefore gain even more players. Do you think Epic Games will continue to do this, and maybe create a ‘Solo mode’, or something similar, when the next Star Wars film is released?
Also, how has the Thanos mode been received by the prominent members of the Fortnite community?
Hi again Cat!
From what I have witnessed, the Thanos mode has been received extremely well. It bought new elements to the game, and was a lot fun to play. Because of this, I wouldn’t be surprised if Epic Games continued to work with other franchises or movies to make more exclusive game modes like this. Personally, I would love to see a Star Wars mode, and with Disney owning both Marvel and Star Wars I would say that it’s not impossible!
Hi Briana!
I found your paper very fascinating to read regarding Fortnite. I am an avid player of this game and love it to bits, much like the rest of the world I guess?!
I love your discussion regarding the community around the game as well as the social capital associated with the game. With such a large community surrounding Fortnite, I think it is very valid that you brought these to attention in your paper. Seeing as the game is almost entirely multiplayer based, social capital plays a pivotal part in keeping the community around the game involved on the many platforms the game is available. I think your paper covers the community side to the game very thoroughly and demonstrates how expansive this community really is. Social media for example being a huge tool that has enabled so many people to know what the game actually is as well as continue to improve social capital through memes, videos etc…
Regarding this, do you believe that identity of how the game has been constructed such as the cartoon nature and other factors has been the main contributing factor to the growth in social capital surrounding the game? Or do you feel there are other factors more prominent factors surrounding this?
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for reading my paper and for your kinds words. You make some interesting points and I think you’re right on the money. I think it’s the initial concept of the game and the game play itself that have had a major influence on its growth. The cartoon nature of the game, the third person shooter mode, the survival/last-man-standing aspect and the building system distinguish the game from others like it. These elements, combined with it being free to play, make the game seem incredibly new and unique. And I think because it is so unique, this has definitely contributed to it’s growth.
But what do you think? Would you consider the game unique? In a way it’s a bit of a mashup between traditional shooter games, the Hunger Games and Minecraft don’t you think?
I agree with you thoroughly here Briana.
I think it is a very unique game in it’s ability to captivate gamers through the cartoon, fun nature of the game along with the skill ceiling being so high. This not only attracts a young audience to the game but with there being so much skill involved to become “good” at the game, it also draws that older player bracket.
I think in my opinion the community surrounding the game in particular the social media side to it is where it is most unique compared to other games. I don’t think I’ve gone a day without seeing at least 5 Fortnite videos on my facebook/twitter/instagram explore and this is all through the community engaging with these.
– Tom
Hi Briana,
What a great focus for this paper using Fortnite! It really captures the current social climate and deffinatly grabbed my attention to read more.
Gaming is not a platform I am very familiar with myself but I really enjoyed your paper and it taught me a lot about the communities within gaming that I had no idea existed to this extent! I liked Catherine’s point in her comment as I also find it interesting to think about the connection game developers have with the prominent members of the community in game promotion. I think this as an idea is very similar to what is seen in other industries with sponsorships etc and is interesting to think about applied to gaming.
Your paper gave me a new perspective and helped me understand the question I’ve often thought about being “why game?”. I found using social capital as a focus for theory within this paper super interesting as I had never thought about it in this sense but it was a great way to explore your key argument!
I also really like that you discussed various different forms of communities before stating which Fortnite fell into as it showed the diversity of the topic and helped narrow down your points.
Your paper kept me intrigued the whole time and was really informative, well articulated and eye opening for a non gamer like myself!
– Hannah 🙂
Hello Briana
Cool paper, I see you talk about Ninja and Ali A who are both viral fortnite players and have a large following and you talk about how communities have formed around the game because people enjoy playing it and have similar interests. But did you maybe think people follow these people because they are like the Bolt of fortnite and maybe that is why they play the game to receive celebrity recognition?