Commercializing Independence - Changes in Japanese Independent Development Discourse
Author
Prestat, Tau Esben Lehrmann
Term
4. term
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-01-04
Pages
73
Abstract
Digital distribution has opened global markets and boosted independent game production. In Japan, independent works have traditionally belonged to the doujin field: amateur, self-funded and self-published projects that prioritize creativity and community over profit. In recent years, a more commercial indie scene has grown, and doujin developers are adopting practices associated with Western indie. Developers now debate the difference between doujin and indie and how they position themselves. This thesis has two aims: (1) to examine how prominent developers construct the meanings of doujin and indie in contemporary discourse, and (2) to challenge the idea that doujin simply turns into indie by analyzing structural and actor-based changes in doujin and Japanese indie development. Method: discourse analysis—studying how language and communication shape meaning—based on digital journalistic media and developers' own productions. Theory: Bourdieu's practice theory, Fiske's theory of popular culture, and Hichibe & Tanaka's categories (hobbyist, indie, commercial) to compare production fields. Main findings: 1) Doujin emphasizes community-building through creative, often derivative and collaborative works; financial motives are seen as at odds with creative freedom. Doujin developers who release globally show no major changes in practices or motivations, though they engage more with global market discourse. 2) Western indie discourse includes amateur work as a subcategory and highlights commercially successful indies, while doujin developers clearly distinguish doujin from indie by the degree of financial motivation, defining indie centrally around profit motives. 3) Japan's growing indie field is facilitated by actors such as game publishers and organizers of indie conventions, commercially successful developers who shift to indie, and successful overseas indie developers. 4) Indie growth in Japan is slow, partly due to language barriers that hinder localization (adapting games for other languages/markets) and marketing.
Digitale distributionsplatforme har åbnet det globale marked og styrket uafhængig spilproduktion. I Japan har uafhængige værker traditionelt hørt til doujin-feltet: amatørers selvfinansierede og selvudgivne projekter, der prioriterer kreativitet og fællesskab frem for profit. I de senere år er en mere kommerciel indie-scene vokset frem, og doujin-udviklere nærmer sig praksisser forbundet med vestlig indie. Udviklere diskuterer derfor forskellen mellem doujin og indie, og hvordan de selv placerer sig. Denne afhandling har to mål: (1) at undersøge, hvordan betydningen af doujin og indie skabes i nutidig diskurs af fremtrædende udviklere, og (2) at udfordre forestillingen om, at doujin blot bliver til indie, ved at analysere strukturelle og aktørbaserede ændringer i doujin og japansk indie. Metode: diskursanalyse, dvs. analyse af hvordan sprog og kommunikation former betydning, baseret på digitale journalistiske medier og udvikleres egne produktioner. Teori: Bourdieu's praksisteori, Fiske's teori om populærkultur og Hichibe & Tanakas kategorier (hobby, indie, kommerciel) til at sammenligne produktionsfelter. Hovedfund: 1) Doujin fremhæver fællesskab gennem kreative, ofte afledte og samarbejdende værker; økonomiske motiver ses som i modstrid med kreativ frihed. Doujin-udviklere, der udgiver globalt, ændrer ikke markant praksis eller motivation, men engagerer sig mere i global diskurs. 2) Vestlig indie-diskurs inkluderer amatører som underkategori og fremhæver kommercielle succeser, mens doujin-udviklere skelner skarpt mellem doujin og indie efter graden af økonomisk motivation og ser indie som økonomisk motiveret. 3) Den voksende japanske indie-scene understøttes af aktører som spiludgivere og arrangører af indie-konferencer, kommercielt succesfulde udviklere, der går indie, samt succesfulde udenlandske indie-udviklere. 4) Væksten går langsomt, bl.a. på grund af sprogbarrierer, der gør lokalisering (tilpasning til andre sprog/markeder) og markedsføring vanskelig.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]