References
- Åkerlind, G. (2012). Variation and commonality in phenomenographic research methods. Higher Education Research & Development, 31(1), 115–127. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2011.642845
- Alpert, F. (2007). Entertainment software: Suddenly huge, little understood. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 19(1), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.1108/13555850710720920
- Arendt, C., LaFleche, M., & Limperopulos, M. A. (2017). A qualitative meta-analysis of apologia, image repair, and crisis communication: Implications for theory and practice. Public Relations Review, 43(3), 717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.03.005
- Arendt, S. (2012, March 6). Mass Effect 3 review. Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/9458-Mass-Effect-3-Review
- Bentley, J. M. (2017). What counts as an apology? Exploring stakeholder perceptions in a hypothetical organizational crisis. Management Communication Quarterly, 32(2), 202–232. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0893318917722635
- BioWare Community Team. (2012, April 5). Mass Effect 3 extended cut. BioWare. http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/05/mass-effect-3-extended-cut/
- Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
- Burgess, J., & Jones, C. (2017). “Is it too much to ask that we’re allowed to win the game?”: Character attachment and agency in the Mass Effect 3 Ending Controversy. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 37(3), 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/0270467618819685
- Burgess, J., & Jones, C. (2018). Media fans’ alignment with branding: A rich and under-explored research domain. Journal of New Business Ideas and Trends, 16(1), 1–15. http://www.jnbit.org/upload/JNBIT_1_Burgess_Jones_16(1)_2018_.pdf
- Burgess, J., & Jones, C. (2020). Exploring the forced closure of a brand community that is also a participatory culture. European Journal of Marketing, 54(5), 957–978. https://doi.org/https://doi-org.ezproxy.usc.edu.au/10.1108/EJM-01-2019-0075
- Butcher, L., Tang, Y., & Phau, I. (2017). Pawning n00bs: Insights into perceptions of brand extensions of the video game industry. Australasian Marketing Journal, 25(3), 215–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2016.11.008
- Carroll, P. (2007). Narrative closure. Philosophical Studies, 135(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-007-9097-9
- Carvalho, V. (2015). Leaving earth, preserving history: Uses of the future in the mass effect series. Games and Culture, 10(2), 127–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412014545085
- Cheng, S. Y. Y., White, T. B., & Chaplin, L. N. (2012). The effects of self-brand connections on responses to brand failure: A new look at the consumer–brand relationship. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(2), 280–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.05.005
- Coombs, T. W. (2006). The protective powers of crisis response strategies. Journal of Promotion Management, 12(3–4), 241–260. https://doi.org/10.1300/J057v12n03_13
- Coombs, T. W. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: The development and application of situational crisis communication theory. Corporate Reputation Review, 10(3), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049
- Coombs, T. W., & Holladay, S. J. (2006). Unpacking the halo effect: Reputation and crisis management. Journal of Communication Management, 10(2), 123–127. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632540610664698
- Coombs, T. W., & Holladay, S. J. (2014). How publics react to crisis communication efforts: Comparing crisis response reactions across sub-arenas. Journal of Communication Management, 18(1), 40–57. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-03-2013-0015
- Coombs, W. T., & Holladay, S. J. (2002). Helping crisis managers protect reputational assets: Initial tests of the situational crisis communication theory. Management Communication Quarterly, 16(2), 165–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/089331802237233
- Cox, K. (2012, March 6). Mass Effect 3: The Kotaku review. Kotaku. http://kotaku.com/5890467/mass-effect-3-the-kotaku-review
- Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124–130. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2
- Croshaw, B. (2012, March 28). Mass Effect 3 gets an ending. Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/columns/extra-punctuation/9511-Mass-Effect-3-Gets-An-Ending
- Dawar, N., & Lei, J. (2009). Brand crises: The roles of brand familiarity and crisis relevance in determining the impact on brand evaluations. Journal of Business Research, 62(4), 509–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.02.001
- Dawar, N., & Pillutla, M. M. (2000). Impact of product-harm crises on brand equity: The moderating role of consumer expectations. Journal of Marketing Research, 37(2), 215–226. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.37.2.215.18729
- Duffet, M. (2013). Understanding fandom: An introduction to the study of media fan culture. Bloomsbury.
- Dutta, S., & Pullig, C. (2011). Effectiveness of corporate response to brand crises: The role of crisis type and response strategies. Journal of Business Research, 64(12), 1281–1287. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.01.013
- Dutton, N., Consalvo, M., & Harper, T. (2011). Digital pitchforks and virtual torches: Fan responses to the Mass Effect news debacle. Convergence: The Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 17(3), 287–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856511407802
- eBizMBA. (2016). Top 15 most popular video game websites. eBizMBA. http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/video-game-websites
- Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2008). Understanding video games: The essential introduction. Routledge.
- Entertainment Software Association. (2018). 2018 sales, demographics and usage data essential facts about the computer and video game industry. http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/EF2018_FINAL.pdf
- Ferguson, D. P., Wallace, J. D., & Chandler, R. C. (2018). Hierarchical consistency of strategies in image repair theory: PR practitioners’ perceptions of effective and preferred crisis communication strategies. Journal of Public Relations Research, 30(5–6), 251–272. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2018.1545129
- Gray, J., Sandvoss, C., & Harrington, C. L. (2017). Introduction: Why study fans. In J. Gray, C. Sandvoss, & C. L. Harrington (Eds.), Fandom: Identities and communities in a mediated world, second edition (pp. 1–26). New York University Press.
- Grégoire, Y., Tripp, T. M., & Legoux, R. (2009). When customer love turns into lasting hate: The effects of relationship strength and time on customer revenge and avoidance. Journal of Marketing, 73(6), 18–32. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.6.18
- Guest, G., MacQueen, K. M., & Namey, E. E. (2012). Applied Thematic Analysis. SAGE Publishing.
- Harmon, J. (2012, March 21). Mass Effect 3 writer allegedly slams controversial ending. Gameranx. http://gameranx.com/updates/id/5695/article/mass-effect-3-writer-allegedly-slams-controversial-ending/
- Hegner, S. M., Beldad, A. D., & Heghuis, K. O. (2014). How company responses and trusting relationships protect brand equity in times of crises. Journal of Brand Management, 21(5), 429–445. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2014.12
- Hegner, S. M., Beldad, A. D., & Kraesgenberg, A. L. (2017). The impact of crisis response strategy, crisis type, and corporate social responsibility on post-crisis consumer trust and purchase intention. Corporate Reputation Review, 19(4), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-016-0007-y
- Helgeson, M. (2014). A new era begins at BioWare. Game Informer, 37, 48–49
- IGN Staff (2012, March 23). Mass Effect 3 second opinions. IGN Entertainment Inc.http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/03/23/mass-effect-3-second-opinions
- Jenkins, H. (2012). Textual poachers: Television fans and participatory culture, Updated Twentieth Anniversary Edition. Routledge.
- Jennings, S. (2016). Co-creation and the distributed authorship of video games. In K. D. Valentine & L. J. Jensen (Eds.), Examining the evolution of gaming and its impact on social, cultural, and political perspectives (pp. 123–146). IGI Global.
- Jeon, J. O., & Baeck, S. (2016). What drives consumer’s responses to brand crisis? The moderating roles of brand associations and brand-customer relationship strength. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 25(6), 550–567. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-10-2014-0725
- Johnson, A. R., Thomson, M., & Jeffrey, J. (2015). What does brand authenticity mean? Causes and consequences of consumer scrutiny toward a brand narrative. In Deborah J. Macinnis and C. Whan Park (Eds.), Brand Meaning Management (Review of Marketing Research, Vol. 12) (pp. 1–27). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
- Kim, J. (2017). Elaborating the halo effect of SCCT: How and why performance history affects crisis responsibility and organizational reputation. Journal of Public Relations Research, 29(6), 277–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2017.1405812
- Krishna, A., & Vibber, K. S. (2017). Victims or conspirators? Understanding a hot-issue public’s online reactions to a victim cluster crisis. Journal of Communication Management, 21(3), 308–318. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-08-2016-0067
- Lee, S. Y., & Atkinson, L. (2019). Never easy to say “sorry”: Exploring the interplay of crisis involvement, brand image, and message appeal in developing effective corporate apologies. Public Relations Review, 45(1), 179–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.12.007
- Ma, L., & Zhan, M. (2016). Effects of attributed responsibility and response strategies on organizational reputation: A meta-analysis of situational crisis communication theory research. Journal of Public Relations Research, 28(2), 102–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2016.1166367
- MacDonald, K. (2012, March 23). Retake Mass Effect campaign winds down”, IGN. http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/03/23/retake-mass-effect-campaign-winds-down
- Mackalski, R., & Belisle, J. (2015). Measuring the short-term spillover impact of a product recall on a brand ecosystem. Journal of Brand Management, 22(4), 323–339. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2015.19
- McCosker, H., Barnard, A., & Gerber, R. (2004). Phenomenographic study of women’s experiences of domestic violence during the childbearing years. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 9(1), 1–16. www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume92004/No1Jan04/ArticlePreviousTopic/ChildbearingDomesticViolence.aspx
- Mittell, J. (2015). Complex TV: The poetics of contemporary television storytelling. New York University Press.
- Moriarty, C. (2012, March 6). Mass Effect 3 review. IGN. http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/03/06/mass-effect-3-review
- Morran, C. (2013, April 9). EA makes worst company in America history, wins title for second year in a row! The Consumerist. http://consumerist.com/2013/04/09/ea-makes-worst-company-in-america-history-wins-title
- Mumford, L. S. (1994). How things end: The problem of closure on daytime soap operas. Quarterly Review of Film & Video, 15(2), 57–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509209409361433
- Muzyka, R. (2012, March 21). To Mass Effect 3 players, from Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare. BioWare. http://blog.bioware.com/2012/03/21/4108/
- Narcisse, E. (2012). I really didn't need those new Mass Effect 3 endings [Spoilers]. Kotaku. Retrieved from https://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/06/i-really-didnt-need-those-new-mass-effect-3-endings-spoilers/
- Newman, M. (2006). From Beats to Arcs: Towards a poetics of television narrative. The Velvet Light Trap, 58, 16–28. doi:10.1353/vlt.2006.0033
- Newzoo. (2018). 2018 global games market report: Trends, insights, and projections towards 2021. Newzoo. https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2018-light-version/
- O’Donnell, C. (2012). The North American game industry. In P. Zackariasson & T. Wilson (Eds.), The video game industry formation, present state and future (pp. 99–115)). Routledge.
- Pace, S., Balboni, B., & Gistri, G. (2017). The effects of social media on brand attitude and WOM during a brand crisis: Evidences from the Barilla case. Journal of Marketing Communications, 23(2), 135–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2014.966478
- Parker, L. (2012, March 15). Why BioWare shouldn’t change Mass Effect 3’s ending. Gamespot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-bioware-shouldnt-change-mass-effect-3s-ending/1100-6366066/
- Prince, G. (2003). Dictionary of narratology: Revised edition. University of Nebraska.
- Proctor, W. (2013). Holy crap, more Star Wars! More Star Wars? What if they’re crap?’: Disney, Lucasfilm and Star Wars online fandom in the 21st Century. Participations Journal of Audience & Reception Studies, 10(1), 198–224. https://www.participations.org/Volume%2010/Issue%201/12%20Proctor%2010.1.pdf
- Proctor, W. (2017). “Bitches ain’t gonna hunt no ghosts”: Totemic nostalgia, toxic fandom and the Ghostbusters platonic. Palabra Clave, 20(4), 1105–1141. https://doi.org/10.5294/pacla.2017.20.4.10
- Rea, B., Wang, Y. J., & Stoner, J. (2014). When a brand caught fire: The role of brand equity in product-harm crisis. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 23(7), 532–542. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-01-2014-0477
- Reid, E., & Duffy, K. (2018). A netnographic sensibility: Developing the netnographic/social listening boundaries. Journal of Marketing Management, 34(3–4), 263–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1450282
- Russell, C. A., & Schau, H. J. (2014). When narrative brands end: The impact of narrative closure and consumption sociality on loss accommodation. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(6), 1039–1062. https://doi.org/http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/673959
- Scholz, J., & Smith, A. N. (2019). Branding in the age of social media firestorms: How to create brand value by fighting back online. Journal of Marketing Management, 35(11–12), 1100–1134. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2019.1620839
- Schreier, J. (2017, December 26). The story behind Mass Effect: Andromeda’s troubled five-year development. Kotaku. https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/12/the-story-behindmass-effect-andromedas-troubled-five-year-development/
- Schwarz, A. (2012). How publics use social media to respond to blame games in crisis communication: The Love Parade tragedy in Duisburg 2010. Public Relations Review, 38(3), 430–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2012.01.009
- Serrels, M. (2012, March 13). Protecting creative risk and integrity: Why Mass Effect 3’s ending should never be changed. Kotaku. https://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/03/protecting-creative-risk-why-mass-effect-3s-ending-should-never-be-changed/
- Singh, J., Crisafulli, B., & Quamina. (2019). Corporate image at stake’: The impact of crises and response strategies on consumer perceptions of corporate brand alliances. Journal of Business Research, 117, 839–849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.014
- Stein, L. E. (2015). Millennial fandom: Television audiences in the transmedia age. University of Iowa Press.
- Sterling, J. (2012, March 30). Rebake Mass Effect: BioWare trolled with cupcakes. Destructoid. http://www.destructoid.com/rebake-mass-effect-bioware-trolled-with-cupcakes-224813.phtml
- Takahashi, D. (2012, March 2). Casey Hudson: BioWare co-created Mass Effect 3 with the (sometimes cranky) fans (interview). Venture Beat. http://venturebeat.com/2012/03/02/casey-hudson-bioware-co-created-mass-effect-3-with-the-sometimes-cranky-fans-interview/
- Tassi, P. (2012a, March 12). How BioWare could find redemption using Mass Effect 3. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/03/12/how-bioware-could-find-redemption-using-mass-effect-3/#31dbf0e166ff
- Tassi, P. (2012b, March 13). Why fan service is good business. Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/03/13/why-fan-service-is-good-business/
- Trump, R. (2014). Connected consumers’ responses to negative brand actions: The roles of transgression self-relevance and domain. Journal of Business Research, 67(9), 1824–1830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.12.007
- VanOrd, K. (2012, March 6). Mass Effect 3 review. Gamespot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mass-effect-3-review/1900-6363906/
- Veil, S. R., & Anthony, K. E. (2017). Exploring public relations challenges in compounding crises: The pariah effect of toxic trailers. Journal of Public Relations Research, 29(4), 141–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2017.1355805
- Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92(4), 548–573. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3903815
- Wesley, D., & Barczak, G. (2010). Innovation and marketing in the video game industry. Gower Publishing Limited.
- Whitehead, D. (2012, March 6). Mass Effect 3 review. Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-03-06-mass-effect-3-review
- Williams, R. (2015). Post-object fandom television, identity and self-narrative. Bloomsbury Academic.
- Xiao, Y., Hudders, L., Claeys, A.-S., & Gauberghe, V. (2018). The impact of expressing mixed valence emotions in organizational crisis communication on consumer’s negative word-of-mouth. Public Relations Review, 44(5), 794–806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.10.007
- Yannopoulou, N., Koronis, E., & Elliott, R. (2011). Media amplification of a brand crisis and its effect on brand trust. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(5–6), 530–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2010.498141
- Young, S. (2012, March 31). The story doesn’t matter. Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/columns/experienced-points/9523-The-Story-Doesn-t-Matter
- Zhou, Z., & Ki, E.-J. (2018). Does severity matter? An investigation of crisis severity from defensive attribution theory perspective. Public Relations Review, 44(4), 610–618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.08.008