Valuing Play in Survivor: A Constructionist Approach to Multiplayer Games. Issue 4 (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carter, Marcus
• Is Part Of: Games and culture. Volume 15:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 434
• Page End: 452
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Survivor -- multiplayer games -- social constructionism -- betrayal -- informal rules; Games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Video games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Computer games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Interactive multimedia -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 303.4834
• DOI: 10.1177/1555412018804327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1555-4120

Abstract

The U.S. televised game Survivor is fascinating for the study of multiplayer games because the winner of a season of Survivor is not dictated by the rules. Instead, a "jury" of eliminated players vote for which of the remaining two to three contestants deserve to win the US$1, 000, 000 prize, based entirely on their personal opinion. In this article, I present an analysis of Final Tribal Council, where this decision is made, revealing the key themes that influence this decision. I subsequently propose a social constructionist approach to understanding and researching multiplayer games as moral economies, where diverse types of play are given different values by players. I argue that this approach provides a useful theoretical framework for an integrated understanding of how both game and nongame elements work to influence player behavior and experience.