The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire
This article explores the forms, uses, and means through which Brazilian Free Fire players think and play using their smartphones. Based on ethnographic research conducted between 2020 and 2023 across nine Brazilian cities, it examines the spatial, material, and corporeal-technological interactions...
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| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Portugués |
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Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UBA
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/CAS/article/view/15494 |
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I28-R246-article-15494 |
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I28-R246-article-154942025-08-20T12:54:37Z The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire La batalla de muchos, el glamour de pocos: Esports, materialidades y gambiarra en Free Fire A batalha de muitos, o glamour de poucos: Esports, materialidades e gambiarra em Free Fire Macedo, Tarcízio Macedo, Tarcízio Game studies Anthropology of play Esports Digital materialities Gambiarra Game studies Antropología del juego Esports Materialidades digitales Gambiarra Game studies Antropologia do jogo Esports Materialidades digitais Gambiarra This article explores the forms, uses, and means through which Brazilian Free Fire players think and play using their smartphones. Based on ethnographic research conducted between 2020 and 2023 across nine Brazilian cities, it examines the spatial, material, and corporeal-technological interactions that support the competitive experience of those who play under alternative structures of knowledge and power. Drawing on the narratives of ten players from diverse contexts and regions in Brazil, the detailed description of the interventions enacted during their attempts at professionalization expands the complexities surrounding video games, esports, and the ways they are played on mobile devices. Este artículo debate las formas, los usos y los medios por los cuales los jugadores brasileños de Free Fire piensan y juegan mediante sus smartphones. Basado en una etnografía realizada entre 2020 y 2023 en nueve ciudades de Brasil, se discuten las interacciones espaciales, materiales y corporales-tecnológicas que apoyan la experiencia competitiva de aquellos que juegan bajo otras estructuras de saber-poder. Al escuchar historias subalternas contadas por diez jugadores de diferentes contextos y regiones de Brasil, la descripción densa de las intervenciones puestas en práctica durante sus intentos de profesionalización amplía las complejidades sobre los videojuegos, los esports y la forma en que se juegan en dispositivos móviles. Este artigo debate as formas, os usos e os meios pelos quais os jogadores brasileiros de Free Fire pensam e jogam mediante seus aparelhos smartphones. A partir de uma etnografia construída de 2020 a 2023 por nove cidades do Brasil, discute-se as interações espaciais, materiais e corpóreas-tecnológicas utilizadas para apoiar a fruição da experiência competitiva daqueles que jogam sob outras estruturas de saber-poder. Por meio da escuta de histórias subalternas contadas por dez jogadores de diferentes contextos e regiões do Brasil, a descrição densa das intervenções colocadas em prática durante suas tentativas de profissionalização expande as complexidades sobre os videogames, os esports e a forma como são jogados em dispositivos móveis. Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UBA 2025-06-10 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Artículo evaluado por pares application/pdf text/html https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/CAS/article/view/15494 10.34096/cas.i61.15494 Cuadernos de antropología social; Núm. 61 (2025); 47-70 1850-275X 0327-3776 por https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/CAS/article/view/15494/14769 https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/CAS/article/view/15494/15091 Derechos de autor 2025 Tarcízio Macedo |
| institution |
Universidad de Buenos Aires |
| institution_str |
I-28 |
| repository_str |
R-246 |
| container_title_str |
Cuadernos de Antropología Social |
| language |
Portugués |
| format |
Artículo revista |
| topic |
Game studies Anthropology of play Esports Digital materialities Gambiarra Game studies Antropología del juego Esports Materialidades digitales Gambiarra Game studies Antropologia do jogo Esports Materialidades digitais Gambiarra |
| spellingShingle |
Game studies Anthropology of play Esports Digital materialities Gambiarra Game studies Antropología del juego Esports Materialidades digitales Gambiarra Game studies Antropologia do jogo Esports Materialidades digitais Gambiarra Macedo, Tarcízio Macedo, Tarcízio The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| topic_facet |
Game studies Anthropology of play Esports Digital materialities Gambiarra Game studies Antropología del juego Esports Materialidades digitales Gambiarra Game studies Antropologia do jogo Esports Materialidades digitais Gambiarra |
| author |
Macedo, Tarcízio Macedo, Tarcízio |
| author_facet |
Macedo, Tarcízio Macedo, Tarcízio |
| author_sort |
Macedo, Tarcízio |
| title |
The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| title_short |
The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| title_full |
The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| title_fullStr |
The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The battle of many, the glamour of few: Esports, materialities, and gambiarra in Free Fire |
| title_sort |
battle of many, the glamour of few: esports, materialities, and gambiarra in free fire |
| description |
This article explores the forms, uses, and means through which Brazilian Free Fire players think and play using their smartphones. Based on ethnographic research conducted between 2020 and 2023 across nine Brazilian cities, it examines the spatial, material, and corporeal-technological interactions that support the competitive experience of those who play under alternative structures of knowledge and power. Drawing on the narratives of ten players from diverse contexts and regions in Brazil, the detailed description of the interventions enacted during their attempts at professionalization expands the complexities surrounding video games, esports, and the ways they are played on mobile devices. |
| publisher |
Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UBA |
| publishDate |
2025 |
| url |
https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/CAS/article/view/15494 |
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