{"title":"In case players were wondering: A topic modelling and sentiment analysis study of community discussions on weapon cases in the CS:GO game","authors":"Zhiyu Chen , Bieke Zaman","doi":"10.1016/j.entcom.2025.100936","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies on randomized mechanics in video games have primarily focused on their links to gambling behaviors. However, gaps exist in understanding how players discuss and perceive these mechanics, such as loot boxes. Addressing these gaps, we analyzed discourses from 2023 in two popular Reddit communities for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), using Correlated Topic Model and Sentiment Analysis. Four main topics were identified: Monetary Elements, Gaming-Gambling, Gameplay Issues, and Affective Appreciation. The findings reveal a generally positive sentiment, with high levels of trust and anticipation, but also ambivalence towards the monetary aspects of loot boxes. Discussions on rewards and virtual items were distinct from those on gameplay and gambling. These nuanced discourses and sentiments, along with their interplay, shape community norms and influence players’ perceived responsibilities of game developers. We advocate for more player-focused inspection in research and policymaking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55997,"journal":{"name":"Entertainment Computing","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100936"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Entertainment Computing","FirstCategoryId":"94","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875952125000163","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"COMPUTER SCIENCE, CYBERNETICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Previous studies on randomized mechanics in video games have primarily focused on their links to gambling behaviors. However, gaps exist in understanding how players discuss and perceive these mechanics, such as loot boxes. Addressing these gaps, we analyzed discourses from 2023 in two popular Reddit communities for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), using Correlated Topic Model and Sentiment Analysis. Four main topics were identified: Monetary Elements, Gaming-Gambling, Gameplay Issues, and Affective Appreciation. The findings reveal a generally positive sentiment, with high levels of trust and anticipation, but also ambivalence towards the monetary aspects of loot boxes. Discussions on rewards and virtual items were distinct from those on gameplay and gambling. These nuanced discourses and sentiments, along with their interplay, shape community norms and influence players’ perceived responsibilities of game developers. We advocate for more player-focused inspection in research and policymaking.
期刊介绍:
Entertainment Computing publishes original, peer-reviewed research articles and serves as a forum for stimulating and disseminating innovative research ideas, emerging technologies, empirical investigations, state-of-the-art methods and tools in all aspects of digital entertainment, new media, entertainment computing, gaming, robotics, toys and applications among researchers, engineers, social scientists, artists and practitioners. Theoretical, technical, empirical, survey articles and case studies are all appropriate to the journal.