Merchandise - ‘I’m looking to buy a nice figurine, t-shirt and maybe some games’

Merchandise - ‘I’m looking to buy a nice figurine, t-shirt and maybe some games’

Consumption is one of the basic ways in which society is structured and organised through differential powers, resources, and life chances, of which consumer patterns are routinely produced and reproduced. Previously consumption was an outcast, until a period of expansion and there was a major consumer boom in many countries around the world. There was a growth in affluence and a change in work patterns, where people started to work more to be able to spend on leisure activities. In relation to video games, there became a shift from bedroom coders to video games becoming readily available on shop floors; from specialised game stores, entertainment stores, department stores and even supermarkets. The levels of advertising in the mass media dramatically increased to introduce new products into the market and encourage consumers to purchase goods Wrigley and Lowe (1996) highlights that there was a rise of a whole series of new forms of shopping, including the ‘captured market’ which consists of different sites intended for other purposes to become shopping opportunities. For example, video game events consist of exhibition halls with themed merchandise stalls to attract people of similar interests. Also, the rising popularity of video game events has produced a demand to increase the number of video game events, where several video game events have begun to ‘repeat’ more than once a year and included different locations to capture consumers on a wider scale, both geographically and internationally. Therefore, the increased availability of video games events becomes a part of ‘taking consumption to the consumer’ (Wrigley and Lowe, 1996). Consequently, consumption became more readily available through strong retail industries, including the video game industry.

From the research findings, it was common to purchase merchandise from the exhibition hall. For instance, Blinky (Group Interview: MCM Comic Con) mentions the accessibility of merchandise from the exhibition hall;

Blinky: I usually buy my stuff online… but then there're shipping costs, customs… so it can become quite expensive… there are some stuff that you can buy from specialised stores, but they don’t always have what you want… and sometimes you want to see the items physically if that makes sense… This is why I loved going around the expo hall… because it’s something you have an interest in… where all the stuff you like is in one location…

Similar to the other events examined, the main importance is visiting the exhibition hall, where there are similar themed merchandise stalls that becomes worthwhile to ‘check it out’. However, it is important to highlight that video game events do not solely sell video games – when I refer to merchandise, I am not referring to official merchandise, such as video games, consoles and game guides available on high streets – I am referring to merchandise by and for enthusiasts, from video game related T-shirts, jumpers, belt buckles, jewellery, cupcakes, fanart, cosplay and much more. For example, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde (Group Interview: MCM Comic Con) mentions their purchase from the exhibition hall;

Researcher: Did you buy anything from the exhibition hall?

Blinky: I got a few cosplay items… we’re thinking of dressing up as maids for the next one… so mainly just stuff for that…

Pinky: Yeah, I bought a really cute headband from this Lolita cosplay store for my maid outfit… but we’re gonna go back again to take another look… and maybe buy some cupcakes, I really want the Pikachu cupcake!

Inky: I’m skint, so won’t be buying anything…

Clyde: I didn’t buy anything, just browsing… because it’s all the same stuff every year… same exhibitors… same items… it seemed special the first time you go, like these guys (Blinky, Pinky, and Inky)… because it’s their first time going… but after a few more times, you’ll start noticing it’s the same every year, then eventually find it pointless…

Video game events consist of organisations by and for enthusiasts; where exhibitors sell video game related items from official and unofficial merchandise, to fan-made items. Similar to aspects of a subculture, Hodkinson (2002) considers the productive or organisational activities that are undertaken by and for enthusiasts, suggesting a connection to the society and politico-economic system. Even though video gamers may not necessarily share a distinctive taste in fashion or music, similar to goths, those who attend video game events, share a way to identify themselves to find like-minded individuals and similar interests; such as purchasing merchandise in the exhibition hall.

However, Clyde (Group Interview: MCM Comic Con) suggests that some video game events, in particular, MCM Comic Con and Play Expo, have repetitive merchandise across these exhibition halls, ‘…it’s the same stuff every year’. This suggests that it is common for exhibitors to visit the same events year after year. For instance, from my fieldwork, I have encountered several exhibitors from attending various video game events, and while I went on holiday to Hong Kong in 2012, I recognised an exhibitor from previous video game events in the United Kingdom, who travelled to Hong Kong to exhibit in the Hong Kong Comic Convention, selling the same merchandise – small world indeed.

To an extent, I consider consumption a form of participation – it is about enthusiasts setting up stalls for people and by people with similar interests, and engaging in patterns of consumption with themed items that reflects self-interest and identity. This suggests that consumption functions as a way for the consumer to communicate with a society where they fit within the social structure (Todd, 2012). Drawing on semiotics, Baudrillard (1998) uses the sign/signifier technology to explain consumption, and suggests that what we purchase is not just a product, but also a piece of ‘language’ that creates a sense of who we are. For instance, Pikachu (Interviewee: MCM Comic Con) suggests that these items provide a sense of identity from owning ‘a piece of the game/show’ and ‘something that’s part of me’:

Researcher: Do you purchase much merchandise?

Pikachu: I use to… but I stopped now…

Researcher: What did you buy?

Pikachu: Too many figures... from everything I liked… Final Fantasy… One piece… Tales of… stuff like that…

Researcher: Do you have a nice collection at home ?

Pikachu: Yeah, that does nothing! I bought them because I wanted to own a piece of the game/show… in my house… if that makes sense… like to own something that’s part of me… I just really liked them for personal reasons…

Researcher: So what do you do with the items now?

Pikachu: They just sit there… maybe dust them once in a while… I spend so much money on them, so I dust them…

Researcher: Do you look at the items and appreciate them after a while?

Pikachu: Yeah…. It’s like… good memories…

Researcher: What kinds of memories are attached?

Pikachu: Er… like moments in the game… and some of the characters that drive you… they push you forward to be able to do things… some characters actually put you out of your own comfort zones… like ‘Shonen’ – an action anime – these characters have the strength to push you forward to go past the anime… like you take their strength and you kind of apply it to yourselves to push you forward… and you can apply their logic to your own universe… and because it’s part of my identity, I buy these items… It’s just something nice to have…

Despite spending too much money on figurines and stopping after realising; Pikachu (Interviewee: MCM Comic Con) suggests that his figurines also provides good memories. This suggests that the items can consist of memories, of which can be triggered, and define our identities – hence, items can retain sentimental value, that can also be shared collectively. As Sternheimer (2012, p.1) states:

To some degree, there are aspects of fandom involved in purchasing merchandise. For instance, Sandvoss (2005, p.8) defines fandom as ‘the regular, emotionally involved consumption of a given popular narrative or text in the form of books, television, shows, films or music’. However, Baudrillard (1998) suggests that different objects are consumed in different ways that drive a capitalist society – especially when fan collectors collect for the sake of collecting. Postmodern consumers can never be fulfilled because the product they consume are only ‘sham objects, or characteristic signs of happiness’ and ‘do not have any real power to bestow happiness to the possessor’ (Malpas, 2005, p.122). For instance, Sephiroth (Interviewee: Final Fantasy Orchestral) considers himself a Final Fantasy Series fan, who spent over £200 from the Square Enix store on Final Fantasy related to merchandise purchased from London MCM Comic Con (2014).

Sephiroth: It’s for my FF (Final Fantasy) collection… I’m a big fan… I was going to buy these items regardless, so best buying them now, in case any of the items goes out of stock… especially the limited edition items, otherwise you’ll end up paying a lot more to obtain it later…

Researcher: I see. Do you have plans to display the items you’ve bought today?

Sephiroth: Oh no, I have no room to display these… I usually look at them, then put them in storage like the rest… I’m hoping to convert one of the rooms into a games room... one day… but until then they’ll be kept in their original boxes so they retain value…

For Sephiroth (Interviewee: Final Fantasy Orchestral), he considered his purchase a ‘necessity’ for his Final Fantasy collection, consisting of figurines, keychains, posters, towels, CD’s, limited edition vinyl’s, plushies and much more. Harris (1998, p.6) argues that collection of fan products, ‘serves both as an admission to fandom and as a form of ritualised maintenance’. This suggests that collecting fan objects can serve as a form of cultural capital in fandom, as Fiske (1992) points out, the distinctiveness here often lies in the scale of the collection rather than in the uniqueness or the authenticity as cultural objects.

According to Crawford (2004), changes within the wider society and moves towards a post-industrial, post-Fordism consumer culture have increase opportunities for fans to connect with the mass media in the ever-growing market of consumer goods. Crawford (2004) even goes as far as to suggest that being a fan is primarily a consumer act; consequently, fans can be seen primarily as consumers. Thus, for Crawford (2004), consumption is a key component of fandom, which is often associated with consuming. However, as previously mentioned (in chapter 3), fans are more than just consumers. In Sephiroth’s (Interviewee: Final Fantasy Orchestral) case, despite having a fairly large Final Fantasy collection, he considered himself more than a consumer, who also attended Final Fantasy related musical events, signing sessions, fan festivals and fan gatherings to be part of the Final Fantasy community.

Signing Sessions and Fan Gatherings – ‘This hand has touched Nobuo Uematsu!’

From the field-notes, I have attended several signing sessions; from the creators of Tales/Tales of’ Series (Bandai Namco Entertainment, 1995), Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (Namco Bandai Games, 2014), Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (Namco Bandai Games, 2014), Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (Namco Bandai Games, 2013) (London MCM Comic Con, 2013); from the producer and members from Studio WIT of the animation ‘Attack on Titan’ (London MCM Comic Con, 2013); and from the composer, conductor and soloist singer from the Final Fantasy Series (Distant Worlds and Final Symphony, 2014). Although, it is important to highlight that the signing sessions at MCM Comic Con were often inclusive to the ticket purchase (no additional cost), whereas the signing session for the Final Fantasy Orchestral requires a purchase of an exclusive VIP ticket (£145), of which was not included in a regular ticket (£25-£65) – these VIP tickets were extremely hard to obtain – for instance, in 2013, all tickets to Distant Worlds (Final Fantasy Orchestral) were sold out in less than twenty minutes.

As Altman (2005, p.1) writes:

Ordinary folks treat them with awe and exaggerated rituals of respect when they come across a celebrity in person. We peons take a bizarre interest in the mythologized details of their lives, and we willingly grant them a portion of our harvest, as it were, in the form of movie tickets, CDs, live shows, and products associated — even if only contractually — with this modern aristocracy

This suggests that fans often felt various forms of emotion when meeting ‘celebrities’, ‘elite fans’ or ‘Big Names Fans’ (Hills, 2006). For instance, some Final Fantasy fans felt the need to show their respect through the act of ‘gift giving’; from bottles of wine, whisky, hand-made items, flowers, cakes, cards, letters and many more; while others considered purchasing products from the Square Enix store, or spending their time and tuition attending fan festivals provided a form of appreciation and support towards the creators of the Final Fantasy Series. For instance, Squall (Interviewee: Final Fantasy Orchestral) mentions his decision to get his rare Final Fantasy VIII box signed by Nobuo Uematsu as a form of appreciation towards the creation of the game.

Squall: I got my FFVIII box signed because it’s my favourite… Nobuo really liked it, smiled when he saw it because it’s a really rare item… Arnie saw it and went ‘oh’ and signed it too… I did think ‘noooooo’ because Arnie didn’t have anything to do with FFVIII and he’s gone and signed it… but he has contributed a lot to the rest of the FF Series, so I guess I don’t mind…

During signing sessions, Final Fantasy fans often had difficulty deciding which items to get signed, because it would be limited to a certain number (usually 2-3 items). Depending on the guests, Final Fantasy fans often selected items from; items with sentimental value (such as favourite games or game guides), items to retain memories that captured specific moments (such as the concert ticket, concert brochure or polaroid photographs), or items that may be of value in future (such as rare items or limited edition items – the Final Fantasy VII vinyl was limited to 2000 copies, where copies alone are now worth double to triple its retail price) (see Figure 5.5).