Subjective Experience and Sociability in a Collaborative Serious Game

Abstract

The meaning of social dimension of gaming for enjoyable and engaging game experiences is supported by an increasing amount of research. Nonetheless, this issue has rarely been studied in the context of serious games. This study attempts to narrow the knowledge gap in the understanding of collaborative serious game experiences and the relationship between the social dimension of gaming and core game experiences. The aim of this study is to empirically investigate what kinds of game experiences are generated when playing collaborative serious game and how the sense of social presence and the sociability of the environment are connected to the core game experience. Findings reinforce the idea that social presence is an essential part of game experience in multiplayer games. Results also showed that the sociability of the game and a sense of social presence are strongly connected to the various dimensions of the core game experience, including engagement, in the forms of flow and immersion. Thus, results indicate that the sociability of the game and sense of social presence seem to be potential factors in the emergence of positive and engaging game experiences, at least in the context of collaborative games.