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Title:
Gaining Pleasure in Infinite Game Worlds: Digital Reading Practices of Infinite Fiction in China
Abstract:
Infinite fiction is a popular genre of Chinese online literature characterized by protagonists navigating through various survival games in distinct small worlds with horror elements. This study examines the audiences’ fascination with this popular media by focusing on their evaluations and motivations for reading this genre. Drawing on audience research, this study challenges the textual determinism model that assumes a fixed meaning in media texts. The study combines both textual analysis of 11 infinite fiction novels with thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 24 readers. This analysis highlights the active role of readers in their discerning criteria and preferences for evaluating satisfactory and unsatisfactory infinite fiction, as well as their active immersion, recognition, and engagement of media texts. Moreover, the findings also expand on Ang’s (1991b) argument in Watching Dallas, demonstrating that despite differences in media and content, audience perceptions and engagement with popular media share notable similarities. By examining infinite fiction through an audience-based perspective, the study provides insights into the evolving dynamics of digital reading practices in contemporary China.
Keywords: audience studies, active readers, online fiction, pleasure
