Heart of the Cards: The Underlying Social Framework of the Yu-Gi-Oh Community

Abstract

Trading card games (TCGs) are a significantly understudied side of gaming culture within sociology. Plenty of research exists on role playing games, and tabletop gaming in general, but little research exists on the sociological aspects of TCGs, particularly on the culture of players. The purpose of this study is to contribute to that knowledge gap through an ethnographic study of the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG community. Data collection consisted of a participant observation method, while analysis of the findings was informed by Goffman’s Frame Analysis theory. The main finding of the study was that the culture around Yu-Gi-Oh is largely defined by two social frameworks, those being competition and recreation. The values, behaviors, and expectations of the community largely work in support of one or both of these frameworks, and at times work to achieve a balance between these two frameworks that sometimes conflict with each other.