Understanding Player Fanaticism in Online Gaming Communities: The Case of Kasino Squad in Mobile Legends

This study explores the phenomenon of player fanaticism within the Kasino Squad community, a group of five male Mobile Legends players aged 22–23, through a qualitative descriptive approach. Drawing on fan studies, social identity theory, and participatory culture frameworks, this research investigates how digital enthusiasm evolves into a structured form of social belonging and identity negotiation. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation, analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model. Findings reveal that fanaticism among Kasino Squad members extends beyond gaming as entertainment; it constitutes a mode of affective labor that strengthens intra-group solidarity, emotional reciprocity, and self-representation in online environments. The members’ routine practices—playing collaboratively, creating digital content, and engaging in social media discussions—reflect an intertwined relationship between passion and identity. Yet, the study also identifies the ambivalence of fanaticism: while it fosters community and self-expression, it can also lead to dependency, interpersonal tension, and blurred work–leisure boundaries. Overall, this research demonstrates that player fanaticism is not merely an excessive form of attachment but a culturally meaningful expression of networked intimacy and social cohesion in contemporary digital life. The Kasino Squad exemplifies how young adults use gaming spaces to construct belonging, recognition, and meaning in an era of participatory media.