Exploring the official and unofficial paratexts of Chinese indie video games on Steam Pages

Abstract The present study explores Chinese indie video game Steam Pages focusing on two types of complementary epitexts on the Steam platform: “official” paratexts, authored by game creators, and “unofficial” paratexts created by game players. The functions of such official and unofficial paratexts are probed by following Batchelor’s authorial classification ( 2018 ). The paper applies the concept of paratexts to discuss the empowerment of reviewers, curators and gamers and their texts (as paratexts) as essential components of the Pages, while attempting to cast light onto creator-gamer interactions. Tentative findings include both reinforcing and contradicting cross-interactions between official and unofficial paratexts, as well as differing functions that help shape Steam Pages into cohesive components inside Steam’s social ecosystem.