Playing (Game-)Identities

As a central element of mediation between players and the game world, the avatar is at the centre of many video games. In this research work, Ronja Weidemann uses the example of Let's Plays to examine the extent to which the relationship between avatars, players and their community can be explained by theories of identity or identity processes. To this end, she analyses and interprets the verbalised gaming experiences of the Let's Players, especially with regard to their changes between the personal pronouns "I", "you", "she"/"he" and "we". In doing so, the author takes into account various positions from games studies, sociology and psychoanalysis.