Let's Play Together through Channels: Understanding the Practices and Experience of Danmaku Participation Game Players in China

TL;DR

This study explores how Danmaku participation games in China combine live streaming and gaming, revealing their impact on player engagement and experience through observational and interview-based research.

Contribution

It provides the first in-depth analysis of natural player practices and perceptions in DPGs, filling a gap in existing research on audience participation games.

Findings

DPGs effectively enhance player engagement.

Players experience a strong sense of accomplishment.

DPGs successfully integrate live streaming with online gaming.

Abstract

Live streaming is becoming increasingly popular in recent years, as most channels prioritize the delivery of engaging content to their viewers. Among various live streaming channels, Danmaku participation game (DPG) has emerged in China as a mixture of live streaming and online gaming, offering an immersive gaming experience to players. Although prior research has explored audience participation games (APGs) in North America and Europe, it primarily focuses on discussing prototypes and lacks observation of players in natural settings. Little is known about how players perceive DPGs and their player experience. To fill the research gap, we observed a series of DPG channels and conducted an interview-based study to gain insights into the practices and experiences of DPG players. Our work reveals that DPGs can effectively synergize live streaming and online games, amplifying both player engagement and a profound sense of accomplishment to players.