The Role of Onlookers in Arcade Gaming: Frame Analysis of Public Behaviours

Abstract

In this article we bring onlookers to front stage. Normally considered invisible participants in video game arcades, their multiple and fluid roles are key to establishing interactional frames in public gaming spaces. We identified three such frames — showroom, gymnasium, and clubroom — after analysing interactions and finding examples of self-presentation in Taipei’s largest gaming arcade. According to our observations, the nature of gaming scenarios is largely determined by the relative skill levels of players and onlookers, with participants playing their roles in relation to the currently active frame. Onlookers provide cues that signal dynamic frame shifts, thereby collectively maintaining the gaming environment while distinguishing themselves from outsiders. Our study uses a social interactional approach as a complement to fun- and/or play-oriented game research.