Abstract
Digital game experience is not a one-dimensional concept. Great variety exists in game genres and players, and game experiences will differ accordingly. To date, game experience is studied in a differentiated way, meaning that most studies focus on one specifi c game experience dimension. The objective of our study was twofold. First, we wanted to obtain a comprehensive picture of fi rst-hand experiences of playing digital games. We conducted six focus group interviews including different types of gamers with the aim of eliciting a wide array of lay-conceptualizations of game experience. Second, we aimed to develop a categorization of game experience dimensions. This was established by discussing and integrating theoretical and empirical fi ndings. Our categorization revealed nine dimensions: enjoyment, fl ow, imaginative immersion, sensory immersion, suspense, competence, tension, control and social presence. This categorization has relevance for both game scholars and game developers wanting to get to the heart of digital game experience.
Highlights
KAROLIEN POELS: University of Antwerp YVONNE DE KORT: Eindhoven University of Technology WIJNAND IJSSELSTEIJN: Eindhoven University of Technology
Everybody who has ever played a game or has watched other people play will undoubtedly agree that playing games does not leave people unaffected. Be it the joy or pride when you beat your friend in a game of virtual tennis, the suspense you feel when fighting in a first-person shooter (FPS), or the experience of being immersed in the story of a role-playing game (RPG), playing games has the potential to evoke a wide array of experiences
Most game experience dimensions mentioned in current gaming literature originate from other, related disciplines such as Human Technology Interaction (HTI), Virtual Reality (VR), Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), or positive psychology
Summary
KAROLIEN POELS: University of Antwerp YVONNE DE KORT: Eindhoven University of Technology WIJNAND IJSSELSTEIJN: Eindhoven University of Technology. The gaming industry has developed a wide range of games and gaming devices, targeted at different ages and gender groups, and at gamers with various play styles and player motivations (see Bartle, 1996; Sherry et al, 2006; Yee, 2002, 2006) Given this variety in game genres and individual differences between players, game experience has to be studied as a multi-dimensional concept. Most game experience dimensions mentioned in current gaming literature originate from other, related disciplines such as Human Technology Interaction (HTI), Virtual Reality (VR), Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), or positive psychology. This study approaches the topic from a broad perspective, taking into account the multiple experiences concurrently
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