Keywords
Otome
Dating Simulation
Structuralism
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Copyright (c) 2022 Steffi Rehfeld
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Otome games are dating simulations that enable players to experience a love story with a fictional character. Based on the assumption that the games potentially convey the illusion of a social interrelationship, the article would like to deepen the understanding of the subject with the help of the term parasocial interaction (based on Horton and Wohl 1956). The question of how otome games can stage their characters and thus potentially offer parasocial interactions will be investigated. In particular, the structure of the games will be examined with the help of the neo-formalist computer game analysis (see Fromme and Könitz 2014). Above all, the interactive medium manifests itself in the options of addressing the players directly by name and thus involving them in the game. The constantly showing of the main characters (e.g. constant eye contact, able to simulate media communication in the form of chats and calls) also offers new possibilities for parasocial interactions. Despite these options, the interaction remains limited and one-sided, as the characters cannot respond to the needs of the users.
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