{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,6]],"date-time":"2026-05-06T04:33:40Z","timestamp":1778042020626,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":91,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]],"date-time":"2023-08-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1691539200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Games and Culture"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>We analyze the audience response to the death of narrative-driven fictitious characters with predetermined fates, whether part of a virtual or cinematic story, and specifically from video games and TV series. Our aim is to contribute to the studies of identification and empathy with fictitious characters in media, as well as to close the research gap around these studies by specifically focusing on the death of the characters. We collected 3000 online comments on the deaths of 16 characters from video games and TV series. We coded each comment according to the five stages of grief by K\u00fcbler-Ross and Kessler and performed quantitative (using LIWC2015 psycholinguistic analysis software) and qualitative analysis (using thematic analysis). Overall, we found a strong resemblance between the processes of grief for real and fictitious characters and uncovered differences of language when discussing the death of a character based on (a) their gender; (b) their role in the story; (c) their interactivity mode; and (d) the form of media. Finally, qualitative analysis revealed unique and novel themes for on-screen deaths, such as (a) the effects of aural cues; (b) nostalgia and beauty; (c) resurrection and transmedia; (d) spoilers; (e) comparisons and real-life connotations; (f) the effects on the franchise; and (g) the effects of the gender of the viewer on these discussions. We discuss our findings in detail, along with implications for future character development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/15554120231190195","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T01:40:34Z","timestamp":1691631634000},"page":"77-124","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Is Death Only the Beginning? How People Mourn Artificial Characters in Social Media"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6827-0240","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sercan","family":"\u015eeng\u00fcn","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Games and Interactive Media, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6414-6891","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o M.","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-Iscte), Iscte - Instituto Universit\u00e1rio de Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joni","family":"Salminen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Marketing and Communication, University of Vaasa, Finland"},{"name":"Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Milica","family":"Milenkovic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Union\u2013Nikola Tesla University Belgrade, Serbia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bernard J.","family":"Jansen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Qatar Computing Research Institute Doha, Qatar"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-137-56885-4_10"},{"key":"bibr2-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/21624887.2016.1163936"},{"key":"bibr3-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/14680777.2016.1120490"},{"issue":"16","key":"bibr4-15554120231190195","first-page":"16","volume":"85","author":"Bartlett M.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Screen Education"},{"key":"bibr5-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15213269.2012.693811"},{"key":"bibr91-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Boyd, A. (2021). Representation of death in independent videogames: Providing a space for meaningful death reflection."},{"key":"bibr6-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5040\/9781839028526.ch-013"},{"key":"bibr7-15554120231190195","volume-title":"Breaking the fourth wall","author":"Brown T.","year":"2013"},{"key":"bibr8-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/00030651070550010501"},{"key":"bibr9-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00036810500130786"},{"key":"bibr10-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Christiansen P. (2014). Thanatogaming: Death, videogames, and the biopolitical state. In\n                      Proceedings of DIGRA 2014 Conference\n                      ."},{"key":"bibr11-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-2885.2009.01347.x"},{"key":"bibr12-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327825MCS0403_01"},{"key":"bibr13-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cohen J. (2018). Defining identification: A theoretical look at the identification of audiences with media characters. In\n                      Advances in Foundational Mass Communication Theories\n                      (pp. 253\u2013272). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781315164441-14","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315164441-14"},{"key":"bibr14-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Cowell A. J., Stanney K. M. (2003). On manipulating nonverbal interaction style to increase anthropomorphic computer character credibility.\n                      Proceedings of AAMAS 2003 Workshop: Embodied Conversational Characters as Individuals\n                      ."},{"key":"bibr15-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/9781403981240_7"},{"key":"bibr16-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3334480.3382863"},{"key":"bibr17-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5817\/CP2015-3-4"},{"key":"bibr18-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0030222815600450"},{"key":"bibr19-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Del Real M. E. (2020). Death positivity: A new genre of death and the genre function of memento mori.\n                      Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations\n                      , 1014. https:\/\/scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu\/etd\/1014"},{"key":"bibr20-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Diekman A. B., Clark E. K. (2015). Beyond the damsel in distress: Gender differences and similarities in enacting prosocial behavior. In\n                      The Oxford Handbook of Prosocial Behavior\n                      (Vol. 12, pp. 376\u2013391). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/oxfordhb\/9780195399813.013.028","DOI":"10.1093\/oxfordhb\/9780195399813.013.028"},{"key":"bibr21-15554120231190195","first-page":"17","volume-title":"Growing up online: Young people and technologies","author":"Dixon S.","year":"2010"},{"issue":"7","key":"bibr22-15554120231190195","first-page":"534","volume":"49","author":"Emery D. 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(2015). Inviting grief into games: The game design process as personal dialogue. In DiGRA Conference."},{"key":"bibr38-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03392356"},{"key":"bibr39-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118475089.ch25"},{"key":"bibr40-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08838159609364360"},{"key":"bibr41-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/00302228221085176"},{"key":"bibr42-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/h0099279"},{"key":"bibr43-15554120231190195","unstructured":"James E. S. (2016, June 1). TV is killing off so many characters that death is losing its punch.\n                      Vox.com\n                      . Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2016\/6\/1\/11669730\/tv-deaths-character-best"},{"key":"bibr44-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0093650214564051"},{"key":"bibr45-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2513002.2513572"},{"key":"bibr46-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780195136128.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr47-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-2885.2009.01347.x"},{"key":"bibr48-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15213269.2010.524911"},{"key":"bibr49-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1386\/jfs_00014_1"},{"key":"bibr50-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2005.01600.x"},{"key":"bibr51-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203010495"},{"key":"bibr52-15554120231190195","volume-title":"On grief and grieving: Finding the meaning of grief through the five stages of loss","author":"K\u00fcbler-Ross E.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr53-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0956797611417007"},{"key":"bibr54-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/cpb.2007.0137"},{"key":"bibr55-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/15554120211020383"},{"key":"bibr56-15554120231190195","volume-title":"Men don't cry\u2013women do: Transcending gender stereotypes of grief","author":"Martin T. 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Empathy with computer game characters: A cognitive neuroscience perspective.\n                      AISB'05 Convention Social Intelligence and Interaction in Animals, Robots and Agents: 12-15 April 2005, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK: Proceedings of the Joint Symposium on Virtual Social Agents: Social Presence Cues for Virtual Humanoids Empathic Interaction with Synthetic Characters Mind Minding Agents\n                      (pp. 73-79). Retrieved from http:\/\/urn.kb.se\/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1660"},{"key":"bibr63-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Napoli J. (2018, December 7). We now know what happened to Rooster on \u2018The Ranch.\u2019\n                      TVInsider.com\n                      . Retrieved May 31, 2022, from https:\/\/www.tvinsider.com\/736606\/the-ranch-part-6-what-happened-rooster-danny-masterson\/"},{"key":"bibr90-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Neimeyer, R. A. (2014). Re-storying loss: Fostering growth in the posttraumatic narrative. In\n                      Handbook of posttraumatic growth\n                      (pp. 68\u201380). Routledge."},{"key":"bibr64-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1606\/1044-3894.933"},{"key":"bibr65-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Nguyen N. (2022). Video games, grief, and the character LINK system.\n                      University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations\n                      , 2974. https:\/\/scholarworks.uno.edu\/td\/2974"},{"key":"bibr66-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Patton M. Q. (1980).\n                      Qualitative evaluation methods\n                      ."},{"key":"bibr67-15554120231190195","volume-title":"The development and psychometric properties of LIWC2015","author":"Pennebaker J. W.","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr68-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3025453.3026047"},{"key":"bibr69-15554120231190195","volume-title":"Death in American texts and performances: Corpses, ghosts, and the reanimated dead","author":"Pizzato M.","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr70-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.58680\/la20065606"},{"key":"bibr71-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/1528-3542.8.1.114"},{"key":"bibr72-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-981-15-7435-1_2"},{"key":"bibr73-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-2958.2004.tb00736.x"},{"key":"bibr74-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2022.121707"},{"key":"bibr75-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15295036.2012.701013"},{"key":"bibr76-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Simone G. (1999, March). Women in refrigerator. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https:\/\/lby3.com\/wir\/"},{"key":"bibr77-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/cpb.2007.0210"},{"key":"bibr78-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Spradley J. P. (1979). Ethnography and culture.\n                      The ethnographic interview\n                      , 3\u201317."},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr79-15554120231190195","first-page":"19","volume":"11","author":"Stang S.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cinephile"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr80-15554120231190195","volume":"19","author":"Stang S.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Game Studies"},{"key":"bibr81-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0261927X09351676"},{"key":"bibr82-15554120231190195","volume-title":"Introduction to qualitative research methods: The search for meanings","author":"Taylor S. 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Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https:\/\/lby3.com\/wir\/https:\/\/blogs.scientificamerican.com\/observations\/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones\/"},{"key":"bibr85-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15213269.2012.723117"},{"key":"bibr86-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/a0023688"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr87-15554120231190195","volume":"4","author":"Whalen Z.","year":"2004","journal-title":"Game Studies"},{"key":"bibr88-15554120231190195","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444809105354"},{"key":"bibr89-15554120231190195","unstructured":"Wright, A., Shinkle E. & Linney A. (2005). Alter ego: Computer reflections of human emotions. In\n                      Proceedings of the 6th Digital Art Conference\n                      ."}],"container-title":["Games and Culture"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/15554120231190195","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/15554120231190195","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/15554120231190195","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T06:34:31Z","timestamp":1777444471000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/15554120231190195"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]]},"references-count":91,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/15554120231190195"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/15554120231190195","relation":{},"ISSN":["1555-4120","1555-4139"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1555-4120","type":"print"},{"value":"1555-4139","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,9]]}}}