Abstract

In this sociolinguistics paper, I discuss code-switching behaviour while playing an online video game. The purpose of the study is to bridge the knowledge gap in the literature regarding code-switching within the Saudi Arabian gaming community. Although a significant amount of research has been carried out on the topic of code-switching, the phenomenon of code-switching among online gamers has received little attention. The focus of this research is Saudi online gamers playing online video games, specifically Overwatch (a team-based online multiplayer game). The research questions investigated how the game format (casual or ranked) and the age of the players influence the occurrence of code-switching. Data collection was based on a quantitative approach and participating in Overwatch matches. Observing the presence of players and their frequency of code-switching allowed for the creation of objective data. The findings indicate that both the format of Overwatch matches and the age of the players had an impact on code-switching. Matches that took place in an intense setting (ranked matches) had more instances of code-switching than those in a casual setting. The results show that the age of the players affected code-switching because younger players were less likely to code-switch than older players were. The research illuminates the ways in which individuals who are part of Saudi Arabia’s gaming community interact with one another and sheds light on the online settings in which code-switching is most prevalent. Future studies should investigate other video game genres to broaden the understanding of the phenomenon of code-switching in online video games.

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