Fans influence video games, but this mainly benefits the gaming industry

Many fans of online video games make their own content, inspired by their favourite game: from self-invented storylines to new characters. Although this gives fans some influence over the video game production process, it is primarily the video game industry that capitalises on it. That is the conclusion of Argyrios Emmanouloudis in his doctoral thesis, which he will be defending on 9 September. The video game industry has grown tremendously in recent years; during the coronavirus lockdowns in particular people turned to video games en masse to entertain themselves. All kinds of online fan communities emerge around these games, says media scholar Argyrios Emmanouloudis. 'It is unbelievable how many of these fan communities exist. People find each other online in their shared enthusiasm for a particular game.