The platformization of emotions: Managing affective labor in platform-mediated game work

Abstract

This study examines the management of affective labor on E-Pal, a US-based gaming freelancer platform where gig workers provide companionship and intimacy to clients during gaming. Based on interviews with 27 workers, the research reveals that E-Pal prioritizes emotional connection over gaming skills. The platform uses authenticity expectations, performance evaluations, and gamification to regulate workers’ emotional interactions with customers. The findings also highlight how E-Pal’s algorithmic visibility disproportionately favors Asian and Latina female workers, reinforcing gender and racial stereotypes for economic gain. A tiered governance system rewards high-performing workers with greater agency and financial benefits, while lower-tier workers often experience precarity. This study also illustrates the toll of constant emotional availability, particularly for minority groups and non-US workers who face physical and mental health challenges without adequate institutional support.