This article discusses female participation in the culture of digital games, an environment still dominated by men, a determining factor in the exclusion and harassment of female audiences. We seek to understand female mobilization to remain in the gamer community as a practice of sociability and a way of tensioning its misogynistic structures. In addition to assuming a neutral pseudonym, through nicknames, many women look for representative groups or communities to form teams or even to build their online friendship network. Given this scenario, we carried out a virtual ethnography in a closed community of female gamers on the social network Facebook. The objective was to understand their experiences in a space considered safe and welcoming.

This paper explores the intersection of creative labour, platformisation, and masculinity among game livestreamers in Vietnam—Southeast Asia’s second-largest gaming market, yet an underexamined region in game studies. While research on Western game streaming often highlights hegemonic, toxic, and misogynistic masculinities, the ways in which Vietnamese streamers negotiate gender identity and digital labour remain understudied. This study examines how Vietnamese game livestreamers engage in affective labour—a concept traditionally associated with “feminine” work whose labour turns passions into careers—yet plays a crucial role in parasocial intimacy, humour, and audience connection within “masculine” gaming cultures. By approaching the gendered labour of Vietnamese game streamers, the research investigates how global platform logics intersect with local cultural norms and informal economies, shaping their performances and work practices. Drawing on digital ethnographic methods, preliminary observations suggest that Vietnamese game streamers often interact with audiences in an unscripted and informal manner from their domestic spaces. Their performances challenge conventional norms of masculinity and gendered divisions of work. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the growing body of literature on digital labour, platform studies, and gender studies by offering an underexamined Southeast Asian perspective. With the intersection of masculinity and affective labour, the study extends existing research to a more inclusive understanding of digital labour practices. The research also provides crucial insights into how content creators navigate the intersections of global digital culture and local cultural norms, by centring Vietnamese game streamers.

Imagine a scenario in which players engage in conversations with non-playable characters (NPCs) in video games using a microphone, free from scripted responses or predefined constraints. With the advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), this possibility has become more feasible than ever. This article examines the Mantella mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda, 2011), which facilitates natural language interactions with NPCs, transforming player engagement within the game’s fictional universe. Skyrim is an action role-playing game (RPG) developed by Bethesda Game Studios. With over 60 million copies sold and releases spanning three generations of gaming consoles, Skyrim has cemented its place in gaming history. A significant factor contributing to its enduring relevance is its vibrant modding community, which has enabled players to modify and expand the game in myriad ways – ranging from graphical enhancements to the introduction of new areas and survival mechanics. This extensive capacity for customization has sustained the game’s popularity for over a decade since its initial release. The primary objective of this article is to investigate the creative appropriation of GAI by Skyrim's PC modding community. Specifically, it addresses the following question: What AI imaginaries emerge from Skyrim gameplay influenced by the Mantella mod? To explore this question, 13 YouTube videos were collected using ethnographic techniques, complemented by a formal gameplay analysis.

Online gaming platforms constitute unique field sites for researching different themes related to digital youth culture such as play, learning, socialization, and consumption. However, they pose methodological challenges for sociocultural digital media research. This paper introduces the play-along method, inspired by the 'media go-along', “scroll back” and 'app walkthrough' techniques, which involves the informant logging onto and playing a game in the presence of the researcher while they engage in a discussion about aspects of the game that unfold on the screen. By observing and participating in gameplay, researchers gain insights into player agency, game mechanics, and consumption practices within virtual worlds. Carried out across three research projects involving 60 young informants aged 10-24, the method offers several advantages: immersion in the gaming context, and a flexible, informal interview setting. It provides a unique opportunity to observe real-time interactions, digital purchases, relevance of devices, affordances and design, and relational dynamics. However, the method also presents challenges, such as gameplay interference, parental restrictions, and technical issues. Ethical considerations include maintaining the privacy of third parties and managing the blurred boundaries between the informant's private and research contexts. Despite these challenges, the play-along method represents a significant methodological advancement for studying virtual worlds. It underscores the need for child-centered approaches that acknowledge the relationalities between players and digital infrastructures, and map unexplored digital terrain in video games. The method's participatory nature positions informants as experts in their own lives, providing rich, authentic insights into the commercial and social dimensions of online gaming.