Dissemination of Skin Fashion Among Fortnite Players: An Analysis from the Trickle Phenomenon Perspective
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective: this study aimed to analyze how reference groups influence the diffusion and adoption of skin fashion among Fortnite players from the perspective of the Trickle phenomenon. Methods: the research employed a netnographic approach. Data were collected through forty-five online interviews and non-participant observations conducted on social media platforms. Results: the findings revealed factors beyond economic capital that contribute to social distinction, including exclusivity, dedication, loyalty to the game, online visibility, nostalgia, skill, and specialized knowledge. These factors are associated with the Trickle-Down phenomenon, differing from traditional notions of socioeconomic class-based stratification while also signaling the emergence of new elite groups, such as professional players (Pro Players), tryhards, and content creators (YouTubers and streamers). The study also showed that individuals with lower status can influence those with higher prestige, characterizing a Trickle-Up process. Furthermore, evidence of Trickle-Across diffusion was identified in the dissemination of skins. Conclusions: this research demonstrates how specific reference groups within the gaming context shape the diffusion of skins, extending beyond economic capital and broadening the applicability of the Trickle phenomenon to virtual environments. The findings also provide valuable insights for marketing and game companies seeking to improve their promotional strategies and customer retention efforts.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Airoldi, M., & Rokka, J. (2022). Algorithmic consumer culture. Consumption Markets & Culture, 25(5), 411-428. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253866.2022.2084726
Albarello, F., Novoa, A., Castro Sanches, M., Velasco, A., Hueyo, M. V. N., Narbais, F. (2021). The social dynamics of multiplayer online videogames in Argentinian and Chilean family contexts: The case of Fortnite. Global Studies of Childhood, 11(4), 302-317. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F20436106211015997
Aris, S., Akhavan, M., & Sabbar, S. (2023).Motivações para Consumir Itens Virtuais Específicos do Avatar na Plataforma Zepeto Gaming. Cadernos de Educação Tecnologia e Sociedade, 16(4), 1248-1258. https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v16.n4.1248-1258
Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. (2022). Brazilian Economic Classification Criterion. ABEP. https://www.abep.org/criterio-brasil
Atik, D., & F?rat, A. F. (2013). Fashion creation and diffusion: The institution of marketing. Journal of Marketing Management, 29(7-8), 836-860. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2012.729073
Bardin, L. (2016). Analyse de contenu. Presses Universitaires France.
Bonneau, C., & Aroles, J. (2021) ‘Digital nomads: A new form of leisure class?’, in Experiencing the New World of Work (pp. 157-177). https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108865814.011
Bourdieu, P. (2010). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Routledge.
Bourdieu, P. (2025). Microcosmos: Teoria dos campos. Editora da Universidade de São Paulo.
Carter, M., Moore, K., Mavoa, J., Gaspard, L., & Horst, H. (2020). Children’s perspectives and attitudes towards Fortnite ‘addiction’. Media International Australia, 176(1), 138-151. https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878X20921568
Daimiel, G. B., Estrella, E. C. M., & Ormaechea, S. L. (2022). Análisis del uso del advergaming y metaverso en España y México. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, (80), 155-178. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1802
Davenport, T. H., & Beck, J. C. (2001). A economia da atenção: Compreendendo o novo diferencial de valor dos negócios. Campus.
Eckhardt, G. M., & Bardhi, F. (2020). New dynamics of social status and distinction. Marketing Theory, 20(1), 85-102. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1470593119856650
Faucher, K. X. (2014). Veblen 2.0: Neoliberal games of social capital and the attention economy as conspicuous consumption. tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique. Open Access Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society, 12(1), 40-56. https://doi.org/10.31269/triplec.v12i1.530
Field, G. A. (1970). The status float phenomenon The upward diffusion of innovation. Business Horizons, 13(4), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/0007-6813(70)90157-6
Joy, A., Zhu, Y, Peña, C., & Brouard, M. (2022). Digital future of luxury brands: Metaverse, digital fashion, and non?fungible tokens. Strategic Change, 31(3), 337-343. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2502
Kemper, T. D. (2011). Status, power and ritual interaction: A relational reading of Durkheim, Goffman and Collins. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd..
King, C. W. (1973). A rebuttal to the ‘trickle down’ theory. In G. Wills, D. Midgley, M. Christopher, & R. Hayhurst (Eds.), Fashion marketing: An anthology of viewpoints and perspectives. 1st ed. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003424208-13/rebuttal-trickle-theory-charles-king
King, R., & De La Hera, T. (2020). Fortnite streamers as influencers: A study on gamers’ perceptions. The Computer Games Journal, 9(4), 349-368. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40869-020-00112-6
Kozinets, R. V. (2014). Netnography: Doing ethnographic research online. Sage Publications.
Li, L., Freeman, G., & Wohn, D. Y. (2020). Power in Skin: The interplay of self-presentation, tactical play, and spending in fortnite. In Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 71-80). https://doi.org/10.1145/3410404.3414262
Lipovetsky, G. (2009). The Empire of Fashion: Dressing Modern Democracy. Princeton University Press.
McCracken, G. D. (2000). Culture and consumption: New approaches to the symbolic character of consumer goods and activities (Vol. 1). Indiana University Press.
Mohr, I., Fuxman, L., & Mahmoud, A. B. (2022), “A triple-Trickle theory for sustainable fashion adoption: The rise of a luxury trend”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 26(4), 640-660. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-03-2021-0060
Nielsen, R. K., & Ganter, S. A. (2018). Dealing with digital intermediaries: A case study of the relations between publishers and platforms. New Media & Society, 20(4), 1600-1617. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444817701318
Pereira, T. C. C., Pepece, O. M. C., Silva, L., & Senra, K. (2024). Moda e jogos eletrônicos imersivos: Um estudo sobre o consumo de skins. Projética, 15(2). 1-39. https://doi.org/10.5433/2236-2207.2024.v15.n2.50005
Reilly, A. (2021). Introducing fashion theory: From androgyny to zeitgeist. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Robinson, D. E. (1973). Fashion theory and product design. In G. Wills, D. Midgley, M. Christopher, & R. Hayhurst (Eds.), Fashion marketing: An anthology of viewpoints and perspectives. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003424208-28/fashion-theory-product-design-dwight-robinson
Sanderson, J., Browning, B., & DeHay, H. (2020). “It’s the universal language:” Investigating Student-athletes’ use of and motivations for playing fortnite. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 13(1), 22-44. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol13/iss1/2/
Sharma, S. (2024). Global trends in virtual luxury: Examining avatar identification, virtual materialism, and status consumption in online gaming. Journal of Global Marketing, 37(4), 282-303. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2024.2375709
Silva, J. P. N., Assis, F. A. A., Pedrosa, G., Grutzmann, A., & Rezende, D. C. de. (2024). The experiences of self-extension, archetypes, and motivations in MMORPG online games: An analysis of Brazilian World of Warcraft context. BAR-Brazilian Administration Review, 21(Suppl.), e240110. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-7692bar2024240110
Silva, L. B. A. R. (2025). From pixels to identity: How fashion consumption in metaverse environments constitutes children’s fashion identity [Tese de doutorado]. Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Brasil.
Simmel, G. (2020). Fashion. In Barnard, M. (2020). Fashion theory: A reader. Routledge.
Um, H., Ko, E., Minjung, C. (2024). Does luxury fashion shape consumers’ perception differently in the real world versus the metaverse? A comparative study on wearer evaluation. Journal of Business Research, 160, 112-124. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2024.2407688
Veblen, T. (2018). The theory of the leisure class: An economic study of institutions. Actual Editora.
Wills, G., Midgley, D., Christopher, M., & Hayhurst, R. (Eds.). (2024). Fashion marketing: An anthology of viewpoints and perspectives. Routledge Revivals.