Quasi-virtual intimacy: An exploration of cosplay commission as a new form of virtual-reality interaction

Abstract

This research interrogated the concept of quasi-virtual intimacy, a special relationship between virtual and real worlds in human-computer relationships, by examining cosplay commissions in the Chinese otome game community as a lens to explore the interaction between virtual intimacy and real relationships. It was supposed that this relationship could not be explained by the framework of parasocial romantic relationships, which needed to be established as a theoretical framework. Using the latent Dirichlet allocation model and semi-structured interviews, this study analysed participants‘ motivations, behavioural patterns, and perceptions. It delineated the fundamental processes and unique characteristics of cosplay commissions and examined the new triangle relational dynamics established between players, virtual characters and cosplayers. It was observed that players bought virtual intimacy offline, transferring emotions to fulfil idealised needs, that virtual characters were human-computer interaction character images and provided emotional value, and that cosplayers reshaped real relationships, redefining intimacy in human-computer interactions. In conclusion, this study indicates that quasi-virtual intimacy has three aspects that differ from virtual intimacy: offline, idealised paths of realisation of virtuality-reality relationships, and playing a ‘role’ in real life.