Researcher Dr. Aris Emmanouloudis from the Media & Communication department at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication has recently published a paper on the contributions of fans to the success of the game PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds). The article “Entering the Battlegrounds: Fan labour in PUBG and its connection to the mega-platform” has been published in the GAME – Games as Art, Media, Entertainment journal. His work explores the relationship between fans and the video game industry, focusing in particular on the popular game PUBG. This relationship is often unfair to the fans.
In his work, Emmanouloudis examines the dynamic, yet often exploitative, relationship between fan engagement and the video game industry, with a focus on the success of PUBG. Drawing on theories of platforms and user-generated content, he explores how fan contributions, such as fan art and suggestions for gameplay improvements, have contributed to the game’s rise to become a bestseller.
Emmanouloudis analysed fan comments on forums and official statements from the game developers across various platforms, thereby demonstrating how companies utilise a ‘mega-platform’ structure: a central platform supported by satellite channels that foster fan engagement. Whilst fans experience a stronger sense of community, companies benefit significantly from their unpaid labour.
This research highlights the dual impact of fan labour: whilst it benefits the gaming community, it simultaneously exposes the lack of fair remuneration for contributors. It contributes to the discourse on platform dynamics, labour exploitation and community-building within the gaming world, and underscores the symbiotic yet exploitative nature of the relationship between the fan community and the industry.
- Researcher
