Tandem Play: Theorizing Sociality in Single-Player Gameplay

Consalvo, Mia; Begy, Jason; Ganzon, Sarah Christina; Scully-Blaker, Rainforest

doi:10.4324/9781351235266-9

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Our second research question asked "How (if at all) do known player pairs engage in decision-making behaviors regarding gameplay when playing a singleplayer video game together?" Prior research found that amongst pairs who did not know each other well, individuals were again polite and would usually consult their partner about decisions, particularly if it was a major one such as in avatar creation or a storyrelated decision [13]. With GoT pairs in observations we witnessed far more extensive discussions and debates about what to do at particular moments in the game.…”

Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Initial work investigating those gaps has explored how pairs of players engage with single-player games and each other socially [13]. It has labeled this type of activity "tandem play," defined as "when two or more players engage with a single-player game together, moving through the game with a variety of potential motives" [13]. More specifically, tandem play refers to the joint, cooperative play of a single-player video game, such as occurs when friends pass a controller back and forth.…”

Section: Playing Single-player Games Sociallymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As prior research has found, holding the controller meant having the power to do multiple things in the game [13]. In a game such as GoT this meant engaging in the (somewhat limited) Quick Time Events (QTEs) for battles and some actions, driving characters around scenes, and -the major partdirecting the choices that the various characters would make in each episode.…”

Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contrary to the stranger pairs studied in prior work, the comfort that known pairs had with each other extended to occasional mild admonitions and chiding of each other. This could include gentle naggings, where one partner wanted to refocus attention back on the game when their partner's attention had strayedsomething not reported on with respect to strangers, who were unlikely to comment if their partner decided to go to the bathroom, take a call, or eat dinner during their play sessions [13]. While we did see many instances were such actions were similarly unremarked on (particularly the checking of phones), there were other times when one person would call out their partner and request that their attention be returned to gameplay.…”

Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Finding sociality in single player games: A case study of tandem play amongst friends and couples

Consalvo

Begy

Browne

et al. 2018

Proceedings of the 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Self Cite

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Researchers have found that games are sites for rich forms of sociality. However, there has been comparatively less research on sociality facilitated by co-located gameplay focused on single-player games, here termed tandem play. This exploratory case study investigated how known player pairs engaged in turn taking and decision-making behaviors while playing a single-player game together, and also how a narrativedriven video game played over multiple sessions impacted their experience. Initial findings suggest that turn taking was an explicitly negotiated choice, and that decision making power did not necessarily rely on who was holding the controller-player pairs developed their own systems for how they made choices. The narrative and well-known franchise on which the game was based gave pairs a strong base from which to work, building themed playthroughs and systemic approaches for how to treat various characters and situations in game. This research provides further evidence that being social in and around games can be accomplished no matter whether the chosen game is a single or a multiplayer title, and in virtual or physical space.

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Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Playing Single-player Games Sociallymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Findings: Friends and Couples Playing Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Finding sociality in single player games: A case study of tandem play amongst friends and couples

Consalvo

Begy

Browne

et al. 2018

Proceedings of the 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The success of game live streaming platforms demonstrates that there is just not just a market for more carefully-curated gaming videos, such as those on YouTube, but also one where live spectatorship and back-and-forth communication are central. Consalvo et al (2018) conceptualized tandem play to describe the entertainment derived from audiences watching others play: platforms (such as Twitch) provide and encourage tandem play through direct chat functions through which viewers can help out or suggest things to the streamer. This affordance of the platforms marks them out fundamentally from a one-to-many model of YouTube gaming videos.…”

Section: The Social Demands Of Live Streaming Platform Audiences Nickmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sociality and Monetization on Live Streaming Platforms

Bowman

Johnson

Woodcock

et al. 2020

SPIR

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This panel presents ongoing research into online “live streaming” platforms, which offer the live broadcast of individuals’ activities - primarily but not exclusively digital gameplay - over the internet to potentially massive worldwide audiences. The largest platform in this area (on which we focus) is Twitch.tv, already the 30th most-viewed website in the world, with comparable platforms boasting large viewing numbers in China, Korea, and Japan. Our first talk examines Twitch as the dominant leading live streaming platform, outlining its evolution and historical origins while unpacking some of the fundamental user-platform relationships manifested on the site. The second addresses itself to the sociality of live streaming, which unlike traditional video media formats enables a rapid live exchange of comments and conversation between live streaming producers and consumers. The third paper presents an overview and typology of monetization methods in live streaming, focusing in particular on the gamified and “gamblified” elements of making money through the practice, as well as how these practices have evolved through a three-way dialogue between viewers, “streamers”, and platforms. The fourth paper builds on this by examining the on-platform currency of Twitch, known as “Bits”, and how the platform captured donations from viewers through the implementation of this currency system. The fifth and final paper will then further develop these critical enquiries into monetization methods and platform dynamics by presenting a number of extremely contemporary developments in this area on Twitch, exploring new the routes for capital flow enabled by new platform infrastructures and technological systems.

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