Abstract
Player motivation is a key research area within games research, with the aim of understanding how the motivation of players is related to their experience and behavior in the game. We present the results of a cross-sectional study with data from 750 players of League of Legends, a popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game. Based on the motivational regulations posited by Self-Determination Theory and Latent Profile Analysis, we identify four distinct motivational profiles, which differ with regards to player experience and, to a lesser extent, in-game behavior. While the more self-determined profiles “Intrinsic” and “Autonomous” report mainly positive experience-related outcomes, a considerable part of the player base does not. Players of the “Amotivated” and “External” profile derive less enjoyment, experience more negative affect and tension, and score lower on vitality, indicating game engagement that is potentially detrimental to players' well-being. With regards to game metrics, minor differences in the rate of assists in unranked matches and performance indicators were observed between profiles. This strengthens the notion that differences in experiences are not necessarily reflected in differences in behavioral game metrics. Our findings provide insights into the interplay of player motivation, experience, and in-game behavior, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of player-computer interaction.
Highlights
For many people, playing games is one of the most rewarding and motivating activities
Already slight increases in amotivation and external motivation were related to reduced enjoyment, more tension, and less harmonious passion, indicating game engagement that is potentially less conducive to players’ well-being (Vella et al, 2013; Johnson et al, 2016). These findings extend our understanding of the role of motivation for the player-computer interaction, as well as provide context for conflicting results regarding the player experience of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games (Johnson et al, 2015; Tyack et al, 2016)
The different motivational profiles are compared in terms of player experience and in-game behavior
Summary
For many people, playing games is one of the most rewarding and motivating activities. While concepts from motivational psychology, Self-Determination Theory (SDT, Deci and Ryan, 2000), commonly inform research on player experience (Tyack and Mekler, 2020) and game analytics (e.g., Canossa et al, 2013; Melhart et al, 2019), the notion of motivational regulation (Deci and Ryan, 2000)has received limited attention in the context of games (Tyack and Mekler, 2020) This is an unfortunate gap in our understanding of the player-computer interaction, as motivational regulations have been found to determine to what extent people experience positive emotions and need satisfaction, as well as how persistently they engage in a behavior (Neys et al, 2014). Considering players’ underlying motivational regulations may provide a better understanding of the interplay of player experience and in-game behavior in MOBA games
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