“What an Eccentric Performance”: Storytelling in Online Let’s Plays

Let’s Play videos represent a significant evolution in digital storytelling, functioning as a performative medium that shifts the narrative focus from the game’s original programmed structure to the subjective experience of the player-narrator. By analyzing the Phantasmagoria series, it becomes clear that these videos strip away traditional interactivity to reconstruct the gaming experience as a new, socially-driven narrative. This process effectively transforms the player into the central protagonist, positioning the game not as a static product, but as a dynamic stage for personal expression, critique, and humor.

The narrativization of these experiences relies on seven distinct elements, including descriptive, audiovisual, and intertextual narration. These frameworks allow player-narrators to engage in a continuous dialogue with the source material, interpreting and expanding upon game mechanics and aesthetics. Through techniques such as self-reflection and direct audience interaction, the narrator creates a hybrid form of media that converges with the conventions of film and literature. This analytical approach reveals how LPs function as both a critique of game design and a historical record of individual engagement.

Ultimately, this phenomenon highlights a fundamental shift in how digital media is consumed and repurposed. By prioritizing the player’s performance over the game’s intended path, Let’s Play videos establish a unique cultural space where the boundaries between creator and consumer blur. This study underscores that the value of modern gaming lies increasingly in the personal, performative stories generated by players, providing a deeper understanding of how digital narratives are constructed, interpreted, and shared within contemporary online communities.