Our work details the process by which a young gamer accesses information and social resources in gameplay. We first frame this practice using the literacy studies concept of affinity spaces. Then, using ethnographic data from both our participant’s online and offline life, we describe the way that he uses several disparate spaces for specific reasons, and stitches these spaces together through ongoing voice communication using Skype. We conclude with two provocations for future research: 1) that the process of combining multiple spaces into a single space should be explored in greater depth, and 2) that the use of Skype as the common communicative platform raises further questions regarding the way that the physical self is backgrounded and foregrounded in digital gameplay.ye
