Jenkins’ theory of fandom is a more optimist view than
effects theory and suggest that audiences today are more powerful than in the
past. He suggests this could be due to the rise of media 2.0 which is a new
wave of media post 2000. Media 2.0 resulted in a participatory culture where
audiences are more interactive with media and can create their own media (user
generated content) rather than just looking at or watching the content. Jenkins
also referred to ‘punchers’ which are a type of interactive audience who take
aspects of a certain type of media (e.g. a game such as Minecraft) and remix
the content to make it their own. This can be done through things such as YouTube
videos of them playing a game, modding, cosplay, or even music videos. Another
way Jenkins spoke about it is story worlds which is when a fan creates their
own stories which could be centred on a secondary character, expanding the timeline,
or filling in a missing scene to satisfy the fandom community.
Converging platforms is a crossover or coming together of
the hardware or consoles. Examples of this in Minecraft are platform gaming
where people can play the same version of the game but from many different
devices. Another example is gaming videos of fans playing the game or sharing
modding tips with other fans. This makes Minecraft fans textual poachers as
they are being interactive and taking the game and making it into their own. This is also all relates to synergy which is
the simultaneous selling of linked products whether it be the game and the
console or the fans making money off of their videos which are being watched by
fans who have bought the game.
Distribution methods are ways in which the audience can get
a game whether it be for free or if they pay for it. Some parts of the game
will come from fans or poachers such as the mods they have created and made
available for other players to download or buy. This proves than the audience is powerful like
Jenkins suggested as they are clearly not just brainwashed and observing the
media like effects theory suggests but actually taking part and creating their
own versions of the media product as a way of interacting with other fans. This
also shows Minecraft fans are textual poachers as they are creating their own
parts of the game/media product and passing them along for other players to
use.
Overall Minecraft fans are textual poachers in many
different ways whether it be through converging platform or distribution. The main way that they are seen as poachers is
through their use of modding or making gaming videos on YouTube as this shows
that they are taking the content of the game and creatively playing around with
it to make it their own. Again this proves that Jenkins’ theory of fandom is
correct as this type of poaching was probably not possible before the rise of
media 2.0 and the participatory culture.
