Chapter 7 Information Phenomena in Game-Related Social Media

Abstract

Purpose – To examine the connection between social media and games, and to analyze information phenomena relating to them.

Design/methodology/approach – A survey of existing research is combined with results from two studies.

Findings – Players use game-related social media as an expansion of play and as a substitute of it, while avoiding information overload in the form of finding out so much that it damages the play experience.

Research limitations/implications – The number of potential game-related social media sources is so high that this chapter mostly presents just the early steps toward researching them further.

Practical implications – The chapter reveals the tight connection that has been formed between games and social media, showing that to properly research one, a look at also the other is necessary.

Originality/value – The chapter presents initial guidelines on where to start in researching game-related social media, an area that has so far seen very little research from both game studies and information scholars.

Citation

Tuomas Harviainen, J., Gough, R.D. and Sköld, O. (2012), "Chapter 7 Information Phenomena in Game-Related Social Media", Widén, G. and Holmberg, K. (Ed.) Social Information Research (Library and Information Science, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 149-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1876-0562(2012)0000005009