Sociotechnical Engagement and Environmental Narratives: Oscillations between Immersion and Awareness in Fornite Battle Royale

• In Event: 4S at Play: Video Game Studies in STS - I

Abstract

Fortnite Battle Royale (ForniteBR) is a popular contemporary videogame and cultural phenomena, which as videogame displace the player protagonist and build around the disruption and regenerations of the environmental narrative. First, this work exposes the nature of the island in the conversation with the melted genre in the game (Sandbox, first person shooter and battle royale), as well situate the subtle but permanent changes of the island as the protagonist. (Nguyen, 2016). Based on techniques of visual narratives analysis and media studies, I problematize in the case ForniteBR the traditional notion of engagement (based in science communication assumptions) to explore the dimensions of socio-technical engagement, in contrast to user engagement (O'Brien and Toms, 2008; Schønau-Fog and Bjørner, 2012).

Second, this proposition for a socio-technical engagement is put in the context of Mediation theory aims to explore the consequences in terms of immersion and awareness. (Verbeek, 2015). The former, as a required state, to be totally involved in the gaming experience, the later as a standpoint that allows reflexivity and criticality of the gamer. These concepts work as polarities in terms of the study of socio-technical engagement and unlock distinct affordances for the player. The results describe a series of visual narrative’ cues which can be seen in the environmental narrative of ForniteBR. The game developers mastered in their design, production, and usability a coherent environmental narrative to optimize the player’s immersion in a story that is not about him/her character. As conclusion, the concept of socio-technical engagement enacts new possibilities to describe media experiences in interactive environments.

Author

• Martin Andrés Perez Comisso, SFIS - Arizona State University