Game Experience Research Articles

Dispelling stigma and enduring bias: exploring the perception of esports participation among young women

This study examined how female players engage with Honor of Kings (HOK), a mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game, focusing on the facilitating and inhibiting factors shaping their participation in this traditionally male-dominated domain. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 female players (aged 18–29). The analysis primarily focused on how social factors, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control influence their gaming experience in HOK. Additionally, thematic analysis was utilized to explore themes related to the experiences of female participation in HOK, societal perceptions of esports, gender biases, and online toxicity. The results indicate that HOK has successfully broadened female participation in esports through social media integration and esthetic appeal. However, traditional cultural norms and masculine gaming culture, manifested in gender discrimination and online harassment, significantly challenge women’s inclusive participation in the esports ecosystem. This study is the first to explore women’s experiences as primary players in mobile esports, providing fresh insights into gender dynamics in esports. The research expands understanding of the relationships between game design, social integration, and cultural barriers in esports participation.

PhantomAR: gamified mixed reality system for alleviating phantom limb pain in upper limb amputees—design, implementation, and clinical usability evaluation

BackgroundPhantom limb pain (PLP) is a restrictive condition in which patients perceive pain in a limb that is no longer present, greatly reducing their quality of life. Mirror Therapy, wherein patients observe a mirror reflection of their intact limb, has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating PLP. However, its unilateral and seated nature presents limitations. To address these constraints while still reducing PLP, and evaluating the impact of different virtual limb representations (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic) on the user’s sense of ownership, agency, and embodiment, PhantomAR was developed. Leveraging wearable first-person augmented reality (AR) technology, PhantomAR extends traditional Mirror Therapy by enabling users to move freely and engage in bimanual tasks.MethodsThe assistive mixed reality game application PhantomAR was deployed on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and augmented the user’s residual limb by superimposing a virtual arm or tentacle that was controlled via residual muscles on their stump using an EMG electrode array. This setup allowed patients to engage in a first-person perspective and manipulate virtual objects with both the healthy and augmented limbs, free from the confines of a seated position. The study enrolled 10 able-bodied individuals and 8 individuals with unilateral, transradial amputation. All amputees experienced PLP. The usability of the PhantomAR application was evaluated using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and a user-centric survey. Additionally, the Game Experience was assessed on a 5-point Likert questionnaire (GEQ). Participants rated their phantom sensations using the Numerical Rating Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire before, during, and after interaction with PhantomAR. The embodiment and agency of the virtual superimposed arm were evaluated with an altered Prosthesis Embodiment Scale. The study protocol included two sessions of 30 min each, during which participants experienced PhantomAR.ResultsParticipants (n = 18) rated PhantomAR highly usable (SUS m = 90.8%, SD = 6.88). Feedback on the Game Experience Questionnaire was overwhelmingly positive, showing high immersion (m = 4.46, SD = 0.08) and positive affect (m = 4.97, SD = 0.05). PLP (n = 8) significantly decreased post-intervention (NRS and McGill Pain Questionnaire, p < .001). Skin temperature in the residual limb increased significantly post-intervention (p < .01) but did not correlate with PLP (r = − 0.08, p = 0.83). Tentacle overlay yielded mixed ownership but high agency ratings.ConclusionPhantomAR leverages mixed reality to significantly reduce Phantom Limb Pain, enhance user engagement, and alter perceptions of ownership and agency of their augmented limb through bi-manual, dynamic, full-body interactions.Trial registration DRKS00033208 (Jan. 5th 2024)

Serum homocysteine is a biomarker for hearing loss associated with or without cardiovascular risk: a cross-sectional study in men

PurposeHearing loss (HL) represents a major health problem worldwide, and increasingly so due to population ageing and new leisure activities, such as video gaming or virtual reality experiences. HL has a multifactorial origin including both genetic and environmental issues with nutrition status emerging as a new contributing factor. In fact, certain micronutrient deficiencies, along with excessive consumption of specific macronutrients, have been related to HL This study aimed to examine the association of HL with dietary fat intake, nutritional status biomarkers, and serum metabolic signature in aviation pilots and controls.MethodsA cohort of aviation pilots, chronically exposed to noise pollution at work, was compared to a cohort of non-exposed university workers (controls). Hearing function was determined by tonal audiometry and dietary fat intake was assessed by three 24-h recalls. In addition, lipoprotein profiles as well as serum homocysteine (Hcy), folate, vitamins B12 and D were analysed. Two multiple linear regression models adjusted for age were constructed to explain HL variability.ResultsHL prevalence was similar and elevated in both cohorts (controls: 64% vs. noise-exposed: 65%), when compared to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) classification. When comparing both cohorts, although no significant differences were found in Hcy and folate levels, controls had significantly lower vitamins B12 and D concentrations and, conversely, higher serum lipids and lipoprotein values (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol subfractions), suggesting the possible involvement of CV risk in HL in the control cohort. In the noise-exposed cohort, HL was associated with flight hours, Hcy, and folate (r2 = 0.439), while in controls, HL was associated with Hcy and vitamin D (r2 = 0.474). After adjusting for CV profile, the positive association between HL and Hcy was maintained (β = 0.444; p < 0.001), evidencing the strong involvement of this metabolite not only in CV risk, but also in HL.ConclusionFolate insufficiency together with hyperhomocysteinemia increased susceptibility to noise-induced HL. However, the role of Hcy in HL without noise exposure at work seems to be partially masked by an altered CV profile.

An example of gamification for pre-service teachers in online higher education: methods, tools, and purpose

Using gamification in teaching practice can be highly effective if educators understand its application. Recognising potential confusion surrounding theoretical approaches to gamification, this paper analyses a specific example of gamification using ICT/ICRT tools for online master’s degree students. It details the design steps, encompassing theoretical foundations, online tools, narrative elements, and practical links to the gamification experience. This study investigates the impact of gamification on student engagement and satisfaction in a virtual classroom setting. A total of 116 participants completed a questionnaire adapted from GAMEFULQUEST (Högberg et al., 2019) to assess their experiences after engaging in a series of gamified challenges. The questionnaire, translated and validated for Spanish-speaking students, evaluated seven dimensions of gamification: Accomplishment, Challenge, Competition, Guided, Immersion, Playfulness, and Social Experience. Results indicated high levels of satisfaction, particularly in Playfulness (M=5.84) and Accomplishment (M=5.83), suggesting students valued both the enjoyment and sense of achievement derived from the tasks. Although satisfaction was generally high across all dimensions, the Social Experience dimension received a lower rating (M=5.01), highlighting an opportunity to enhance social connections among students. These findings underscore gamification's transformative potential in boosting motivation and engagement, especially in higher education. The study emphasises the importance of aligning gamified experiences with students' needs and incorporating elements that foster interaction and narrative engagement. It also recommends further research to explore the long-term effects of gamification on learning outcomes and to identify best practices for its implementation in diverse educational settings.

Hand Gesture-Control Gaming and Mouse Navigation System

-- This paper explores the development of a gesture-controlled system that enables users to interact with computer games, such as Hill Climb Racing, using hand movements. The system utilizes real-time data from a webcam, along with libraries like MediaPipe, OpenCV, and Pygame, to detect and interpret hand gestures. By tracking hand movements, the software allows users to control game functions and navigate the mouse pointer without the need for traditional input devices. This approach not only enhances the gaming experience but also promotes hands- free interaction, with potential for future integration into other applications and advanced gesture recognition systems. Keywords--- Hand gestures, Computer games, Hill Climb Racing, Webcam, MediaPipe, OpenCV, Pygame.

Perceptions and experiences of commercial virtual reality games in early postoperative rehabilitation among cardiac surgical patients: A qualitative study.

Although numerous studies have focused on the outcomes of virtual reality games for early rehabilitation in postoperative cardiac surgical patients, research on these patients' perceptions and experiences with virtual reality games has been limited. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide insights into the perceptions and experiences of postoperative cardiac surgery patients in using commercial virtual reality games during early rehabilitation. A cohort of postoperative cardiac surgery patients (n = 12) who used the same VR games during the early rehabilitation period at the cardiac surgery intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in Nanjing, China, was enrolled in this study, conducted between January 2023 and December 2023. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Two themes emerged from the interviews: (1) the benefits of virtual reality games for rehabilitation, including (i) enhancing enthusiasm for rehabilitation, (ii) helping patients to focus attention, (iii) increasing individual exercise, (iv) providing enjoyment, and (v) regulating negative emotions; (2) shortcomings in the use of virtual reality games, including (i) producing stress, (ii) insufficient operating space, (iii) discomfort while wearing, (iv) difficulty in mastering the application, and (v) individualized needs. Cardiac patients believed that the use of commercial virtual reality games during early postoperative rehabilitation was beneficial to rehabilitation, but they highlighted some shortcomings that require improvement. The results of this study provide a certain theoretical basis for the further promotion and application of commercial virtual reality games in clinical practice in the future.

Rotation errors in path integration are associated with Alzheimer’s disease tau pathology: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEarly Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis is crucial for preventive therapy development. Standard neuropsychological evaluation does not identify clinically normal individuals with brain amyloidosis, the first stage of the pathology, defined as preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Spatial navigation assessment, in particular path integration, appears promising to detect preclinical symptoms, as the medial temporal lobe plays a key role in navigation and is the first cortical region affected by tau pathology.MethodsWe have conducted a cross-sectional study. We related the path integration performance of 102 individuals without dementia, aged over 50, to amyloid and tau pathologies, measured using positron emission tomography. We included 75 clinically normal individuals (19 with brain amyloidosis, 56 without) and 27 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (18 with brain amyloidosis, 9 without). We fitted linear mixed models to predict the path integration performances according to amyloid status or tau pathology in the medial temporal lobal, adjusting for age, gender, cognitive status, education, and video game experience. We decomposed the error into rotation and distance errors.ResultsWe observed that clinically normal adults with brain amyloidosis (preclinical Alzheimer’s disease) had spatial navigation deficits when relying only on self-motion cues. However, they were able to use a landmark to reduce their errors. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment had deficits in path integration that did not improve when a landmark was added in the environment. The amyloid status did not influence performance among individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Among all individuals, rotation, but not distance, errors increased with the level of tau pathology in the medial temporal lobe.ConclusionOur results suggest that path integration performance in an environment without external cues allows identifying individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, before overt episodic memory impairment is noticeable. Specifically, we demonstrated that poor angular estimation is an early cognitive marker of tau pathology, whereas distance estimation relates to older ages, not to Alzheimer’s disease.Trial registrationEudra-CT 2018–003473-94.

APPLICATION OF DEEP LEARNING FOR PROCEDURAL CONTENT INTEGRATION FOR LEARNING SERIOUS GAMES

Deep Learning (DL) and game-based approaches such as serious games or gamification are both emerging technologies and methodologies in learning systems. The merging of the two could provide greater advantages, particularly in the field of learning serious games or instructional games. Already, AI behavior has been linked with Digital Games to a certain degree. However, these methods are designed for specific structure and hardly scalable to various serious games. This study sought to automate dynamic integration process by using Deep Learning methods. To guarantee a trustworthy context for various categories in the game, it is essential to verify data before adding to the game. That step requires the classification of the game content into different categories considering data relations. The framework uses the BERT model to categorize game content into discrete groups. That process understand contextual meaning and captures semantic relationships in order to get better classified labels. The proposed method has achieved exceptional results, demonstrating an accuracy of 94.91%. These findings suggest that the proposed approach can be effectively categorize for personalized and adaptive gaming experiences while supporting the understanding of content relationships. This research demonstrates the power of application of proposed approach to improve the serious gaming area. The framework classify data for adapting content based on information from serious game data. Keywords: serious games, deep learning, artificial intelligence, text classificaiton, gamification.

How does gameful experience foster customer engagement and brand advocacy? Consumer insights into branding in e-tail

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of gameful experience (GAMEX) on customer brand engagement in the context of e-tailing. Drawing on the self-determination and social learning theories, the authors have developed a comprehensive model incorporating cognitive, emotional and behavioral factors leading to brand advocacy and re-visit intention for the retail website. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were obtained from 715 customers across various e-tailing websites. This research uses both quantitative method (partial least squares structural equation modeling − PLS-SEM) and qualitative method (fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis − fsQCA) to investigate the relationship between GAMEX and customer brand engagement in the e-tailing context, with a focus on the long-term outcomes of brand advocacy and re-visit intention. Findings The PLS-SEM results indicate a significant impact of GAMEX on customer brand engagement. In addition, the findings reveal the moderating role of fear of missing out, internet self-efficacy and technoeustress in the association among GAMEX, customer brand engagement, brand advocacy and re-visit intention. The findings from fsQCA support the results obtained from PLS-SEM and reveal four configurations for brand advocacy and five configurations for re-visit intentions. Originality/value This research evaluates the impact of GAMEX on customer brand engagement using a mixed-method approach involving qualitative and quantitative procedures. This study offers valuable insights into the design of gamified marketing activities and current practices for fostering greater engagement.

The Effect of Game Ad Outcome on Subsequent Mobile Gaming Experience: The Mediating Role of Inferred Difficulty

This study investigates the effect of game advertisement outcomes on a player's subsequent gaming experience. Research on vicarious experience shows that individuals infer game difficulty to be higher when watching game advertisements where players lose (vs. win) the game. Building on the effort-paradox paradigm, the first of this three-part study shows that such higher inferred difficulty enhances enjoyment and engagement during subsequent gaming experiences, especially for advertisements featuring easy game levels. Solely manipulating the difficulty level, Study 2 confirms the underlying mechanism of inferred difficulty for the observed effect of game advertisement outcomes. Study 3a shows that the main positive effect of losing (vs. winning) ads does not hold for advertisements featuring difficult game levels. Study 3b further explores this by focusing only on advertisements with difficult game levels, investigating how variations in players’ self-efficacy might influence their response to losing advertisements depicting difficult game levels. The findings across four studies suggest that, when promoting easy game levels, marketers can use advertisements with losing outcomes to extend gaming sessions, thereby increasing revenue from in-game advertisements. However, for difficult game levels, advertisements with losing outcomes are effective only for those with high self-efficacy.

Boosting Cooperative NPC Effectiveness and Player Immersion through Behavior Tree Optimization in Gaming

The purpose of this research is to improve the adaptability and intelligence of cooperative non-player characters (NPCs) in dynamic gaming situations. Although behavior trees (BTs) are commonly used to simulate non-player character (NPC) behaviors, their rigid hierarchical design restricts NPC adaptability in complex settings. This study employs a variety of optimization techniques, including evolutionary algorithms and hybrid strategies that combine Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS), to improve NPC adaptability. The findings reveal that these strategies enable flexible behavior transitions, with evolutionary algorithms strengthening BT's flexibility in decision-making scenarios and ANN and MCTS significantly increasing NPC intelligence and response capabilities. Furthermore, we highlight fundamental drawbacks in typical BTs, such as static node topologies, which may impede dynamic adaptation. These discoveries lay the groundwork for improving immersive gaming experiences, expanding the knowledge repository for NPC AI research, and providing vital insights into the development of more intelligent cooperative NPCs.

From online games to offline travel: Gaming flow, attachment, and esports travel

Despite the growing importance of esports tourism as a strategy to attract young tourists to destinations, limited research has been conducted on how the online gaming experience influences offline esports travel. This paper first maps a framework to indicate young players’ heterogeneity in the relationships between gaming experiences, attachment, and esports travel intentions. A survey targeting 751 young egamers in China was conducted using quota sampling. Results confirm the positive relationships between egames flow, attachment, and esports travel. Findings reveal that challenge-based, sensory, and imaginative immersion significantly affect the gaming flow experience, while players’ self-expression and social interaction contribute to their attachment to esports. Further, gender and game experience are essential factors that moderate the role of gaming experience and attachment in esports travel intentions. Practical implications are provided for esport game design and tourism promotion.

Влияние видеоигр с агрессивным контентом на эмоциональное состояние и поведение игроков: обзор современных исследований

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The article is devoted to a review of modern research studying the impact of video games with aggressive content on the emotional state and behavior of players. It examines various theoretical approaches, including the General Aggression Model (GAM), the Catalyst Model and alternative theories describing the impact of aggressive content and media violence. Special attention is paid to the results of empirical studies indicating both positive and negative consequences of video games. Positive effects include reduced stress and improved emotional state, while negative effects include increased aggression, destructive behavioral manifestations and a decrease in empathy. A review of current research demonstrates that the impact of video games can vary significantly depending on the individual characteristics of players, their personal characteristics, the context of the gaming experience, the genre of video games and other factors. This makes the issue of the impact of aggressive content in video games extremely complex and multifaceted. The article emphasizes the need for further research in this area, including using a collegial and interdisciplinary approach to study the impact of aggressive video game content on the emotional and psychological state of players.&lt;/p&gt;

An immersive virtual reality serious game set for the clinical assessment of spatial attention impairments: Effects of avatars on perspective?

Background Hemineglect (HN) is a post-stroke condition, frequently defined as an impairment in finding spatial targets within an egocentric frame of reference, where the stimulus is coded relative to the self. However, the egocentric reference frame can change with the presence of another person. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers several advantages over paper-and-pencil tests typically used to assess HN, such as a realistic and controlled environment, standardised stimulus presentation, and sensitive response acquisition. We developed a new serious game in IVR to assess HN. Here we investigated (1) the feasibility and user experience of this serious game, and (2) the effect of the presence of an avatar on HN. Methods We first tested a group of 61 control individuals (CI), followed by a group of post-stroke 11 individuals without HN (SI:HN-), 6 with HN (SI:HN+), and 17 resampled age matched group of control individuals (CI). All participants performed the “Peach test”, which required them to find and respond to a target presented among distractors, either alone or in the presence of an avatar. We measured response time (RT) and omissions. The SI:HN- and SI:HN + groups also completed a paper-and-pencil test for HN and a user experience questionnaire. Results The first analysis of results with CI showed no differences in responding to the target when in ipsi- compared to contra-lateral spaces, nor in peri- compared to extra-personal spaces. There were also no differences in responding to the target in the no-avatar condition relative to the two avatars conditions. In the second analysis, SI:HN + were slower than SI:HN- and CI. Although an interaction between group and Laterality was predicted, the results showed that there was no Laterality effect for any of the groups. An interaction between group and proximity, showed that both SI groups were slower in the extra- compared to peri-personal spaces. The user experience was globally positively rated by the SI. Conclusion We developed a serious game in IVR for the assessment of HN. Although most our findings were inconclusive, the Peach test showed excellent user experience results. Trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT04694833, Date of registration: 11/24/2020.

Pervasive Games for Sexual Health Promotion: Scoping Literature Review.

Serious games play a fundamental role in promoting safe sexual behaviors. This medium has great potential for promoting healthy behaviors that prevent potential risk factors, such as sexually transmitted infections, and promote adherence to sexual health treatments, such as antiretroviral therapy. The ubiquity of mobile devices enhances access to such tools, increasing the effectiveness of video games as agents of change. In this scoping review, we aimed to (1) identify the extent to which pervasive games have been used in the field of sexual health, (2) determine the theories used in the design and evaluation of pervasive games for sexual health, (3) identify the methods used to evaluate pervasive games for sexual health, and (4) explore the reported benefits of using pervasive games for sexual health. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) methodology, we conducted a comprehensive literature search in the Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM databases for articles published between January 1, 2000, and August 4, 2024. Included articles were published in English between 2000 and 2024 and involved the design, implementation, or evaluation of a ubiquitous video game focused on promoting safe sexual behaviors, with qualitative and/or quantitative results based on theory-based techniques and ubiquitous technologies. Review articles, conference papers, or books without available data or quantitative or qualitative results were excluded. We screened 521 of 612 articles (85.1%) after removing duplicates. After the title and abstract review, 51 (9.8%) articles were assessed for eligibility, and 30 (5.8%) articles meeting the criteria were studied and evaluated in depth. The results suggested that the use of pervasive video games has a positive impact on promoting safe sexual behaviors. This is enhanced by the effectiveness of theory-based techniques and the use of mobile technologies as developmental factors that drive the gaming experience. The results indicated that this domain is a growing field that should not be ignored. The literature showed that pervasive video games have been effective in promoting safe sexual behaviors. Substantial growth has been seen in scientific community interest in researching this domain; nevertheless, there is still much to work on. In this context, we advocate for the standardization of design, implementation, and experimentation as essential phases in creating video game experiences. These 3 fundamental aspects are critical in the development of video game-based studies to ensure the reproducibility of experiments.

The Future of Gaming: How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing the Industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a tool for improving video games; it is revolutionizing the entire industry. This opinion paper explores how AI is transforming gaming experiences, enhancing player engagement, and reshaping game design. We argue that AI’s role in gaming is not just beneficial but essential for the future of interactive entertainment. Through an examination of current trends and future possibilities, we provide our perspective on the profound impacts of AI on the gaming world.

The Spoilers of Virtual War: Experience and Performance Mediate the Relationship Between Violent Video Games and Hostility.

A substantial portion of the literature investigating whether playing video games with violent content causes aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors has relied on experimental exposure to video game violence. To date, there is significant evidence suggesting these concepts are positively related, while other experiments demonstrate a null effect. A potential explanation for these contradicting findings is a failure to account for confounding such as video game performance and video game experience. This was examined across two experiments in which dyads played a violent video game and then completed state measures of hostility and positive and negative affects. Players with superior performance and greater gaming experience reported less hostility, less negative affect, and more positive affect. Mediation models showed that experience reduced hostility indirectly through performance. Historically, concern for hostility was greatest for frequent players, however, the current evidence suggests that these two variables should be accounted for prior to drawing conclusions. More broadly, future research might benefit by considering the phenomenology of gameplay in research on the risks and benefits of this hobby.

Narrative mobile video game-based cognitive training to enhance frontal function in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Although cognitive training has been proposed as a possible therapeutic modality for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), most serious games focus on specific tasks. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of narrative video game-based cognitive intervention for MCI. A four-week (± 1-week) mobile game intervention was given to 17 MCI participants (mean age (SD) = 72.8(4.75)). At baseline and post-intervention, the participants received neuropsychological tests and a depression scale. Frontal function was assessed using the Corsi block-tapping test, Color Word Stroop Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Digit Symbol Coding, and Trail Making Test-Elderly’s Version; depression was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale. User’s compliance and gaming experience were also evaluated. MCI patients showed significant improvements in frontal function, particularly in Digit Symbol Coding (mean ± SD, 0.47 ± 0.49, p = 0.007) and phonemic fluency (mean ± SD, 0.39 ± 0.55, p = 0.024). Each frontal subtest’s mean z-score was increased (mean ± SD, 0.44 ± 0.38, p = 0.008). Block span and depression scale remained unchanged. High adherence rates (122.35%) and favorable feedback on the gaming experience indicated that the game intervention’s usability boosted patients’ motivation and engagement. Our findings demonstrate that narrative game-based cognitive intervention was not only beneficial but also enjoyable for elderly MCI.

Understanding the motivations and lived experiences of gamers with a high consumption of games

Understanding the motivations and lived experiences of gamers with a high consumption of games

No impact of story context and avatar power on performance in a stop-signal game.

This study investigates the impact of gamification on response inhibition in a Stop-Signal Task (SST) and examines participants' gamification experience. The findings reveal that, after accounting for approach- and avoidance-motivation as well as impulsiveness, higher immersion is associated with impaired response inhibition. This effect could be attributed to a substantial decline in immersion between the first and second SST sessions. Despite intrinsic motivation and avatar identification not significantly predicting performance, both factors exhibited a decline across sessions, suggesting an overall diminished gaming experience in the second session. Alternatively, motivational variables as immersion and avatar identification might be detrimental to response inhibition, by shifting attention away from relevant task elements. Contrary to expectations, approach and avoidance narratives did not influence outcome variables or participant experience, while different avatars led to altered avatar identification, particularly favouring strong avatars. The declining motivation over time might stem from a lack of tangible goals within the gamified task, where narrative elements alone failed to induce sufficient goal-oriented motivation. These findings underscore the nuanced interplay between gamification elements, task complexity, and participants' expectations, emphasizing the need for carefully tailored gamification strategies in experimental designs.