Minecraft, mangroves, and dialogic potential: An analysis of video game live streaming and its implications for public relations research

Video game live streaming platforms like Twitch are important sites for strategic communication and public relations activity given the potential for co-creation, dialogic engagement, and relationship building that they afford. In these dynamic spaces, passionate, highly engaged publics seeking social interaction and community gather to watch streamers play their favorite games; and through these spaces organizations have an opportunity to reach an audience that is less likely to consume traditional media. Yet, despite their growing popularity, video games and the practice of video game live streaming remain understudied within the field of public relations. This study works to extend the nascent body of literature in this area through an analysis of Minecraft and The Nature Conservancy’s Rooted Together project, designed to educate audiences about and raise money for mangrove conservation efforts. Using a textual analysis of two charity live streams, this study considers how the devotional-promotional model maps onto relationships between streamers, stakeholders, and organizations in the context of a platform that affords space for dialogic engagement. And it illustrates the importance of publics in elevating an object of devotion in such projects.