Channels matter: Multimodal connectedness, types of co-players and social capital for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena gamers

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the roles and interactions of (1) multimodal connectedness and (2) three types of co-player networks in online gamers’ social capital acquisition. Over 17,000 players of the popular game League of Legends were surveyed on their playing partners, the media channels used, and social capital. Combined with behavioral data from server logs, the results showed that multimodal connectedness (i.e., the number of communication channels used for social interaction among players) was positively associated with one’s bridging and bonding social capital. The frequency of playing with an existing offline friend was positively associated with one’s bridging and bonding social capital; the frequency of playing with an online friend first met in the game was positively associated with one’s bridging social capital; the frequency of playing with a family member was not a significant predictor of one’s social capital outcomes. Moreover, multimodal connectedness magnified the positive relationships found between social capital outcomes and playing with online and offline friends.