In recent years, the intersection of gaming culture and social media has transformed the way digital content is created, shared, and consumed. A groundbreaking study led by Zhang, Shao, and Li, published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, delves deeply into this paradigm, analyzing the dissemination of cultural presence through video-based social media platforms. This research primarily centers around Bilibili, a leading Chinese video-sharing platform known for its vibrant gaming community and rich cultural interplay. By focusing on the cultural transmission embodied in and around the Chinese game “Black Myth: Wukong,” the study sheds light on how digital narratives and cultural identities traverse the vast ecosystems of video content today.
Video-based social media platforms have exploded in popularity, becoming hubs not just for entertainment but for cultural exchange and identity formation. Platforms like Bilibili, YouTube, and TikTok have evolved into arenas where gaming content serves as a conduit for cultural storytelling. Zhang and colleagues emphasize the role of digital cultural presence — the sense of cultural identity and shared experience conveyed through media. Though the study zeroes in on Bilibili, they acknowledge the unique ecosystems each platform fosters, highlighting the necessity for broader research across multiple platforms like TikTok and YouTube to fully grasp the digital dissemination formulas at play.
The study scrutinizes “Black Myth: Wukong,” a video game inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. This choice is strategic, situating the research within a culturally rich frame that offers potent symbolic material for cultural presence exploration. By dissecting how Bilibili users engage with the game—through gameplay videos, commentary, and community discussions—the researchers offer novel insights into the layered ways culture is constructed and communicated in digital gaming contexts. The game acts as a cultural beacon, illuminating how myth and media interlace to form complex digital identities and narratives.
Methodologically, the investigation harnesses both cutting-edge computer vision (CV) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies alongside traditional manual screening. This hybrid approach allows for a nuanced understanding of visual and textual content, capturing the richness of user interactions. CV techniques analyze video imagery and gameplay footage to detect cultural artifacts and iconography, while NLP parses textual comments and metadata to decode linguistic expressions of cultural identity. Despite advanced tech usage, the authors candidly acknowledge that manual processing remains indispensable, though it introduces the risk of oversight and bias—a candid admission that underscores the study’s scientific rigor.
The dissemination mechanism proposed by the study outlines a dynamic process where cultural presence is not merely presented but actively propagated through layers of user engagement. Content creators, viewers, and community participants contribute collectively to this phenomenon, weaving a digital tapestry of cultural meaning that transcends the original game content. The researchers argue that this process reflects more extensive patterns of cultural diffusion within digital media ecosystems, demonstrating how cultural narratives mutate and adapt in real-time through participatory media.
Critical to this dissemination is the interactive nature of video platforms, which facilitate not only passive consumption but active participation. The study details how commentaries, live streams, and fan-made content breathe new cultural life into game narratives. This participatory culture allows users to negotiate meanings, challenge dominant interpretations, and remix cultural symbols, thereby extending the life and reach of cultural presence far beyond the original media. This phenomenon resonates with broader theories in media studies about the participatory turn in digital culture.
Comparatively, the research touches upon the absence of similar studies on other globally renowned gaming franchises such as “Assassin’s Creed” or “Red Dead Redemption.” These titles offer fertile ground for comparative analysis, particularly given their Western cultural orientations and immense fan bases on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. The authors suggest that future studies must incorporate such comparative perspectives to generate a holistic understanding of cultural presence dissemination in the global gaming landscape.
Moreover, the study’s focus on a Chinese digital platform and a domestically produced game underscores a significant geographic and cultural specificity. Bilibili’s user demographics, platform algorithms, and cultural norms shape unique dissemination pathways that may be distinct from Western counterparts. Investigating these differences is imperative to comprehending the global versus local dynamics in digital cultural production and reception. Thus, the study lays groundwork for a cross-cultural dialogue within digital media research.
In addition to platform and game-specific factors, technological frameworks play a pivotal role in how cultural presence is identified and analyzed. The use of CV and NLP technologies exemplifies the integration of artificial intelligence in humanities research. CV allows for automatic recognition of cultural symbols within video frames, while NLP facilitates the extraction of sentiment, themes, and discourse patterns from large-scale textual data. This interdisciplinary methodology opens pathways for more granular and scalable cultural analysis across massive datasets, which manual methods alone cannot efficiently handle.
However, the authors are frank about the limitations inherent in their study. Manual screenings, while necessary for contextual accuracy, introduce human error and potential bias. The study also recognizes the partial scope in focusing on one platform and one game, limiting broader applicability. The researchers urge the development of more refined AI-driven tools that can minimize human oversight while enhancing contextual understanding—an ambitious call that signals the future of media and cultural studies research.
The findings also prompt critical questions about the echo chambers potentially created by platform-specific cultural dissemination. While cultural presence strengthens community bonds, it may also lead to insular digital spaces where alternative cultural narratives are underrepresented or excluded. The study suggests future research should explore the balance between cultural consolidation and cultural pluralism within video-based social media, a dynamic crucial for fostering inclusive digital cultures.
Another essential contribution of the study is its elucidation of how cultural presence impacts identity construction among gaming audiences. Through participatory content creation and communal engagement, users not only consume but also embody cultural elements, rearticulating them in ways that resonate personally and socially. This process underscores video-based social media as arenas of identity negotiation, where digital cultural products become mediums for expressing belonging, resistance, and creativity.
Practically, the research has profound implications for game developers, content creators, and platform operators. Understanding how cultural presence propagates can inform more culturally sensitive game design and community management. Tailoring content to resonate authentically with particular cultural narratives can amplify engagement and longevity in competitive digital markets. Furthermore, platforms equipped with AI tools to analyze cultural dissemination can optimize recommendation algorithms to foster richer cultural dialogues.
Looking forward, the study charts exciting avenues for future research. Notably, it calls for expanded investigations across multiple global platforms beyond Bilibili, encompassing diverse games with variegated cultural backdrops. Broadening the geographical and cultural scope promises to uncover universal principles and localized idiosyncrasies in digital cultural dissemination. Additionally, refining AI methodologies to integrate deeper semantic understanding and contextual nuance will elevate analytical precision.
In sum, Zhang, Shao, and Li’s research represents a pioneering effort in bridging media studies, cultural theory, and AI technology to unravel the complexities of cultural presence in the digital age. Their multi-dimensional approach sheds unprecedented light on the ways games serve as cultural vessels within video-based social media ecosystems. By focusing on the vibrant milieu of Bilibili and “Black Myth: Wukong,” this study foregrounds the powerful symbiosis of gaming, culture, and technology that defines contemporary digital experience.
For scholars and practitioners alike, this research inspires a renewed appreciation for the multifaceted nature of digital culture. It encourages the embrace of interdisciplinary tools and perspectives to navigate the evolving landscapes of media, identity, and cultural exchange. As video-based social platforms continue to dominate digital consumption patterns, grasping the mechanisms of cultural presence dissemination becomes indispensable for fostering vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic digital publics in the years ahead.
Subject of Research: Dissemination of cultural presence of games on video-based social media, focusing on Bilibili platform and the game “Black Myth: Wukong.”
Article Title: Play, watch, share: the dissemination of the cultural presence of games on video-based social media.
Article References:
Zhang, Q., Shao, Y. & Li, X. Play, watch, share: the dissemination of the cultural presence of games on video-based social media. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1150 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05112-3
Image Credits: AI Generated
