Avatar, Community, and Lore: An Exploratory Study of Independent VTubers

This study examines how independent VTubers, creators who stream using live-animated 3D or 2D avatars, conceptualize broadcasting and assemble their streams as digital artifacts. Prior research has concentrated on large, studio-backed VTubers, even though small independent creators make up most new broadcasters. Drawing on iterative grounded-theory analysis of 756 posts from the r/VTubers subreddit collected over one month, the authors identify three interrelated themes: the avatar, the community, and an onscreen personality that blends the two to attract and retain viewers.

The avatar emerges as both a technical and a personal branding milestone, with the "debut" marking a significant point in a creator's development. Many independents frame their avatars through "lore," a backstory or fictional identity, though attitudes toward lore vary widely among participants. Community-building is described as both the principal draw of independent VTubing and its most persistent challenge, particularly in a saturated market where scams are common and small viewerships can persist for extended periods.

Cost and complexity are central concerns in the findings. Professionally rigged 3D models can cost several thousand dollars, and running motion tracking and broadcast software simultaneously can drive hardware to full CPU utilization. Many creators therefore turn to cheaper alternatives such as PNGtubers or self-taught rigging. Independent VTubing is highly labor-intensive, with individuals often handling art, animation, software engineering, and business management alone.

The authors conclude that peer community and shared labor are essential to sustaining independent VTubing, which otherwise faces substantial barriers in the absence of studio support. Despite these constraints, the practice offers meaningful opportunities for identity play and self-expression. The study's scope is limited to one month of public forum discourse, so its findings are exploratory and grounded in the self-reported experiences of creators who participate in online Q&A communities.