Applying the devotional–promotional model to the video game “Faithful”

• Video game fans can be considered to be part of a civil religion and successfully engaging them requires an understanding of religious communication.
• Applying the devotional–promotional model of communication to video game fans enables the leveraging of covenantal relationships.
• Creation of “fandoms” can extend brands and enable franchises.
• Engaging or creating “fandoms” requires an understanding of how object of devotion contributes to the fans identity.

This article seeks to explore the relationships among video games, fans, and public relations from a theoretical perspective. Using Tilson and Chao’s (2002) devotional–promotional model of communication and the concept of civil religion to examine this relationship, this article continues to build on the idea the public relations practices of religious communication has many practical implications in the secular world. By examining video game fans through the lens of the civil religion and the devotional–promotional model, this paper explores the implications of commodification of civil religion and builds on an earlier exploration by Xifra (2008) and the idea that “faithful supporters” can be the most valuable audience and that they can be cultivated by public relations.