Title: Digital games get viral on social media: a social network analysis of Pokémon Go on Twitter

Authors: Datis Khajeheian; Shaghayegh Kolli

Addresses: Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Jalal-Ale Ahmad Str., Nasr Bridge, 14155-6311, Tehran, Iran ' University of Allameh Tabataba'i, Dehkadeh-ye-Olympic, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran

Abstract: This article reports a social network analysis of how Pokémon Go, a social augmented reality mobile game, has been reflected and represented on twitter. With more than 500 million downloads, this game becomes one of the most popular augmented reality games ever played and based on the social nature of this game. It was a question that what are the characteristics of sharing of #pokemongo on twitter? This research conducted a social network analysis on the twitter platform by analysing the #pokemongo. Results show that this game promoted the social relationship of users and increased the conversation among the players. It also concluded that the social behaviour of users promoted and they acted more social, explored their surroundings more motivating and made their routines more meaningful.

Keywords: social network analysis; SNA; Twitter; Pokémon Go; digital games; augmented reality game; social media.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2020.108632

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2020 Vol.16 No.3, pp.262 - 278

Received: 15 Nov 2019
Accepted: 26 Dec 2019
Published online: 21 Jul 2020 *

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