Crisis Communication in Gaming: A Study on Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games
Author
Arias Coscaron, Gabriel Ignacio
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan to globale spiludgivere, Blizzard Entertainment og Riot Games, har kommunikeret under kriser, og hvordan branding samt relationen til deres community har påvirket offentlig opfattelse og markedsposition i det seneste årti. Fokus er særligt på sager om seksuel chikane på arbejdspladsen, underpræsterende produkter og community‑kontroverser, med udgangspunkt i spørgsmålet om, hvorfor Riot i 2022 blev opfattet mere positivt end Blizzard. Metodisk anlægger specialet en kritisk-realistisk tilgang med et konstruktivistisk blik og baserer sig på kvalitative data indsamlet via netnografi og sekundære kilder. Analysen er informeret af Consumer Culture Theory, Kellers brand equity‑model og Image Restoration Theory. Fundene peger på et markedsmæssigt skifte, der hænger sammen med temaerne fra retssagerne og produktlanceringer, formidlet gennem community‑reaktioner på sociale medier. I sager om arbejdspladschikane gav korrigerende handlinger typisk mere positive resultater end strategier, der primært søger at nedtone forseelsen. Specialet anbefaler dedikerede kriseteams til både forebyggelse og håndtering, tydeligere virksomhedskommunikation samt tættere afstemning mellem produkter og community‑forventninger, og tilbyder et rammeværk for spilvirksomheder i globale markeder.
This thesis examines how two global game publishers, Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games, communicated during crises and how branding and community relations shaped public perception and market momentum over the past decade. It focuses on workplace sexual harassment lawsuits, underperforming products, and community controversies, asking why Riot came to be viewed more positively than Blizzard in 2022. The study adopts a critical realist orientation with a constructivist perspective and uses qualitative methods, gathering data through netnography and secondary sources. Analysis is guided by Consumer Culture Theory, Keller’s brand equity model, and Image Restoration Theory. Findings indicate a market shift associated with lawsuit themes and product releases, mediated by community responses across social media. In harassment-related crises, corrective action generally produced more positive outcomes than strategies aimed primarily at reducing offensiveness. The thesis recommends dedicated crisis teams for prevention and response, clearer corporate messaging, and closer alignment between products and community expectations, offering a framework for game companies operating in global markets.
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