Ludo-spectatorship as gaming and metagaming: exploring the pleasures of assemblage

Abstract

This thesis explores spectatorship within the realm of videogames and redefines the notion of play by constructing a model of ludo-spectatorship. This model frames spectating as an inherent component of contemporary videogame engagement—a hybrid practice that blends conventional gameplay with emerging metagaming activities. Ludo-spectatorship captures the dynamic interplay between spectating and playing, manifesting in two primary forms: spectated play and spectating play. Spectated play conceptualises ludo-spectatorship as a form of gaming, where players actively observe game elements while simultaneously taking actions. Spectating play, exemplified by watching game streams, positions ludo-spectatorship as metagaming. Building on this model, the thesis investigates how these two forms of ludo-spectatorship contribute to videogame pleasure. The pleasure explored in this thesis extends beyond that derived from control, mastery, or goal-based challenges, focusing instead on the fluid, emergent form that arises from the entanglements of human and nonhuman actors. Methodologically, the research synthesises actor-network theory and object-oriented ontology as its theoretical framework, which provides a foundation for understanding how both human and nonhuman actors co-constitute the affective and experiential dimensions of videogame play. To operationalise this approach, the study employs auto-microethnography, a methodology combining self-observation and analytical analysis, to examine specific videogame cases. The case studies demonstrate that the pleasure of spectated play emerges from unveiling previously invisible aspects of videogames by developing connections, shifting perspectives, and transforming the play medium; while watching game streams can reconfigure pleasure by amplifying or subverting the affective responses generated through gaming, and create a novel form of pleasure centred around streaming. These pleasures unfold through the tension between spectating and participating, further mediated by metagaming practices.

Date of Award	15 Jul 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Nottingham
Supervisor	Bjarke Liboriussen (Supervisor) & Corey Schultz (Supervisor)