Player Experience Research Articles (Page 1)

ABSTRACT Play is an integral part of a child’s life and is crucial for healthy development and well-being. Children residing in Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCS) are at risk of developmental delays. Occupational therapists assess and treat play and are uniquely situated to support children in play and promote occupational justice. This study explored the social experiences of children living in CYCCS, focusing on their preferred activities, equipment, and environment, how children engage in social play, and the barriers and facilitators they encounter, as perceived by children. A cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design was employed, utilising the draw-and-tell method for data collection. Data was analysed using thematic analysis to build themes, and the demographics and observations were used to triangulate the findings. The study was conducted in Johannesburg with 25 children from five CYCCS operating under the same non-governmental organisation. Two key themes emerged from the data analysis: ‘social dynamics in play’ and ‘social connections in play’. This study highlights how living in institutional care impacts children’s social play experiences and emphasises the role of social dynamics and connections in shaping these experiences. As occupational therapists, children’s perspectives in institutional care can inform efforts to promote their overall health and well-being in these settings.

ABSTRACT Previous academic literature has outlined the issues many current and retired male professional footballers face in their careers. Many agree that the pressures and expectations of playing professional football in England come with myriad physical and psychological challenges. Professional footballers must maintain balance in both their personal and professional lives, and there has been growing interest in exploring the experiences of professional players. The present research explores the experiences of a retired male professional footballer. The participant was recruited purposively and has over 700 senior first team appearances and has represented clubs from the English Football League Two through to the English Premier League. A semi-structured interview was conducted, and a thematic narrative enquiry approach was used to analyse the data. The semi-structured interview was designed to explore the participant’s lived experiences of playing professional football in England, the psychological challenges they faced both personally and professionally, and their coping strategies.

In narrative-driven games, player choice is often marketed as a core mechanic that grants players agency over the story. However, recent studies suggest that the perception of agencythe player's sense that their decisions mattermay carry more weight than actual narrative control. This paper explores the tension between perceived and actual agency in interactive storytelling, focusing on how narrative design techniques shape player experience without relying on extensive branching. Using close analysis of several representative games, this study examines how feedback design, emotional framing, and structural opacity influence the player's experience of meaningful choice. Drawing on narrative theory, game studies and cognitive psychology, the paper argues that agency in games is not strictly a mechanical function but a designed player feeling, often constructed through illusion and implication. By synthesizing theory with case analysis, this work highlights how narrative designers can craft compelling experiences of control, even within constrained systems.

BackgroundPopulation aging underlines the critical need to improve health professional training to adequately care for adults aged >60 years. Developing educational resources to support academics and professionals presents a valuable opportunity to enhance understanding of health conditions and improve clinical management. Serious games are designed to develop teaching, training, and learning skills. Their use in the educational setting is warranted, as they integrate digital aspects and gamification to create a playful experience for content acquisition. Deepening this theme in nursing education will improve assistance to the older adult population, leading to more qualified care based on gerontological practices and comprehensive health care for older adults.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and validate a serious game on older adult health for undergraduate nursing students.MethodsThis quantitative and descriptive methodological study, conducted between February 2023 and December 2023 at a public university in the Federal District of Brazil, involved the active participation of 27 undergraduate nursing students in their eighth to tenth semesters. The game, Health Unit in Focus (HUF), was developed and validated with their input. It features 75 clinical cases distributed across 3 themes: pharmacology, metabolic syndrome, and semiology. Of the 40 students initially enrolled, 27 completed the study. The app was validated using the System Usability Scale and student feedback, and the results were reported following the Game-Based Intervention Reporting Guidelines (GAMING).ResultsThe participants had a mean age of 22.67 (SD 1.44) years, were mostly female (20/27, 74%), and were in their eighth semester (26/27, 96%). The game received an average System Usability Scale score of 85.75 (median 86.57), classified as excellent, as all evaluated items scored >75. Participants considered the game easy to use; accessible; practical; and rich in well-founded, useful content. This high usability score, coupled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the students, instills confidence in the game’s effectiveness. Furthermore, 100% (27/27) of students agreed that learning through games is effective and expressed interest in incorporating more interactive games into their training. The serious game HUF showed good usability, as its overall score was “excellent,” with its highest score in the odd-numbered items that addressed the positive aspects identified in the analysis.ConclusionsThe serious game HUF is not just a valid and reliable tool for training nursing students but also an engaging and interactive approach to learning. Its ability to captivate and involve students in the learning process is a testament to its potential to revolutionize nursing education. It is essential that the development of new methodological resources, such as serious games, be based on scientific evidence to guarantee greater reliability and success in achieving their established objectives.

Traditional pedagogical approaches frequently encounter obstacles, including limited student engagement and challenges in retaining complex formulas. This study investigates the efficacy of an educational online game, "CC Facts Race," designed to enhance comprehension of Food and Beverage (F&B) Cost Control concepts. The research was conducted at Polytechnic of Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin in Perlis, Malaysia, involving 150 participants from the Diploma in Resort Management (DHR) and Diploma in Foodservice (DHF) programs. Data were gathered through questionnaires, and a descriptive analysis was employed to evaluate the findings. Results indicate that students rated "CC Facts Race" highly for its usability, player experience, and overall satisfaction. The game was perceived as accessible, engaging, and effective in improving both understanding and retention of F&B cost control principles. This study concludes that "CC Facts Race" represents a valuable supplement to educational curricula, providing an interactive and enjoyable learning platform. Future research could explore longitudinal effects on knowledge retention and instructors’ perspectives regarding the integration of "CC Facts Race" into teaching practices.

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of online game players in building intercultural tolerance through interactions in cyberspace. This study uses a qualitative approach with a phenomenological study type to explore the experiences of online game players in cross-cultural interactions. The research subjects consisted of seven players selected through purposive sampling, using snowball sampling until the data was saturated. Data collection techniques were through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, then data analysis used the interactive model of Miles and Huberman through the stages of reduction, presentation, and drawing conclusions. Data validity was ensured through triangulation of sources and methods, accompanied by member checking with participants. The results of the analysis show four main findings: (1) online games act as a means of social interaction as well as entertainment, (2) cross-cultural communication is a factor that can strengthen and hinder relationships, (3) the practice of tolerance is reflected in the ability to manage emotions, compromise, act as a mediator, and use humor, and (4) educational values are apparent in the form of increased language skills, empathy, patience, and appreciation for diversity. Although verbal and strategic conflicts often arise, the emerging resolution patterns show that digital space has strong potential as a medium for learning tolerance and cross-cultural collaboration.

Among the most prevalent forms of digital entertainment are two-dimensional (2D) mobile games, which are engaging, readily accessible, and compatible with a wide range of devices. This study sought to design and implement a 2D obstacle-avoidance game using Unity. The development methodology employed is the Multimedia Development Life Cycle (MDLC), comprising six stages: concept, design, material collection, assembly, testing, and distribution. The game, named Highwash Rush, was developed with various control features, including gyroscope sensors, swipe gestures, and directional buttons, and is equipped with a progressive scoring system and sound effects to enhance player experience. Black Box and Alpha Testing conducted on several Android devices demonstrated that the game operated stably, responded effectively, and adhered to the original design specifications. The findings suggest that implementing the MDLC method, excluding the distribution stage, in unity-based educational game development is effective for producing engaging and interactive multimedia applications suitable for practical use.

ABSTRACT This paper presents empirical findings from an ethnographic study exploring autistic young people's experiences of public space and play. Drawing on multimodal data – including participant-generated media and non-participant observation, the study reveals how disabling atmospheres, shaped by social misunderstanding and sensory challenges, contribute to environmentally induced social anxiety and spatial exclusion. In response, participants engaged in immersive character role-play, particularly through cosplay, to creatively reconfigure their relationships with space. These practices enabled the construction of affective micro-environments that resisted exclusion, facilitated self-expression, and fostered familiarity and community. Cosplay functioned as both a shield and a tool for spatial negotiation, allowing participants to transform oppressive atmospheres and inhabit public spaces on their own terms. The findings underscore the importance of recognising autistic agency in shaping lived geographies and call for greater attention to the infrastructural and atmospheric pressures that impact neurodivergent individuals. In alignment with the social model of autism, the paper advocates for inclusive spatial design, practitioner training, and therapeutic approaches that address sensory-related social anxiety and support neurodiverse modes of engagement.

This study explores the applicability of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to the field of digital game design. By reinterpreting each layer of the hierarchy—ranging from physiological needs to self-actualization—the research investigates how core human motivations are reflected in game mechanics, aesthetics, and systems. The methodology involves a conceptual analysis of each hierarchical layer, mapping them to design elements such as functional interfaces (physiological), save systems (safety), multiplayer modes (belonging), reward structures (esteem), and user-generated content or AI-driven narratives (self-actualization). Through this mapping, a comparative model is developed to differentiate between low-level and high-level design features. The study proposes a layered critique format to assess “strong” and “weak” games based on how comprehensively they address player needs. Findings suggest that games with higher experiential, aesthetic, and creative depth often align with upper-level human needs, providing a richer player experience. The article concludes by offering a theoretical model and a conceptual tool to support designers in making player-centric creative decisions guided by Maslow’s framework.

ABSTRACT In 2019, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) released a policy mandating all men’s clubs qualifying for the Chinese Super League (CSL) to integrate a women’s football team within their structure. Against this backdrop, this study aims to answer the research questions: What are the integration mechanisms and socialisation tactics adopted by men’s clubs to integrate women’s teams? What are the barriers and enablers of an effective integration process and positive integration experience for women players? Underpinned by a social constructionism philosophical position, we conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with the club directors (n = 4) responsible for women’s football development and women football players (n = 14) impacted by the integration policy. All data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The findings highlighted a superficial integration process as most clubs resorted to partnering with an existing external football team, with little evidence of resource-sharing in physical assets, personnel, and knowledge and information during the integration process. Additionally, barriers such as inadequate organisational support for women players, as well as the perceived inequality and job insecurity associated with their affiliation status to the men’s team have further contributed to an ineffective integration process. Meanwhile, women players’ proactive tactics such as sensemaking and positive framing have enhanced their integration experience into their club. This study highlights the understudied negative impact associated with integration from women players’ perspectives. Policymakers are encouraged to create more financial incentives for clubs to support women’s teams; clubs should implement their integration strategies with careful consideration of the broader gendered, socio-cultural, and political context.

Play is a fundamental activity through which humans and animals acquire skills and competencies. Robots are increasingly capable of engaging in playful interactions with humans, offering new opportunities for learning, development, and social connection. Unlike traditional toys, robots possess autonomy and expressive capabilities, enabling them to propose actions, respond meaningfully, and exhibit intentions and emotions. This transforms the nature of play, making it more interactive and adaptive. For individuals with cognitive or physical impairments, robots can serve as predictable and engaging companions that attract attention, foster motivation, and facilitate social interaction in group settings. In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework to support the design of play-oriented robots and activities. Drawing on more than 20 years of research and development, we provide examples of low-cost robotic systems tailored for diverse user needs, including both typically developing individuals and those with disabilities. Through selected case studies, we demonstrate the effectiveness and versatility of our approach in supporting the design and analysis of playful experiences that are inclusive, goal-oriented, and developmentally beneficial.

Educational games played on mobile devices can be utilized in teaching older adults to foster motivation, create a competitive spirit, and provide playful experiences within the classroom. There has been little previous research on the accessibility of educational games and the playful experiences of older adults. To identify which features facilitate or create potential barriers, this article offers insights into the educational games Kahoot! and Quizizz, focusing on their perceived accessibility and the playful experiences they provide for older adults. 27 participants participated in four distinct gaming sessions. Data was collected through surveys and observational methods. The results highlight issues related to accessibility, such as the pace of the game and classroom space design, including lighting and the size of the classroom display. While older adults found educational games enjoyable, interesting, and novel, the rapid pace of the games led to frustration.

High-quality playing surfaces enhance player experience and safety while serving as an appealing setting for spectators. Natural turfgrass provides optimal conditions at the beginning of the playing season but faces challenges under increasing field usage. Turfgrasses with high wear tolerance and quick recovery capacity are crucial for maintaining surface quality under intensive wear. Bermudagrass is the most used species in warm climates but needs winter overseeding in the transition zone. In Mediterranean climates, tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort, formerly Festuca arundinacea) has emerged as a promising species due to its tolerance to heat, drought, and salinity, alongside traits like deep rooting, shade adaptation, and wear resistance. The trial was conducted at the CeRTES experimental station in Rottaia, Pisa, Italy. Twenty-seven tall fescue cultivars and three cultivars of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were hand-seeded on 3 November 2022, at a rate of 43 g m−2. The experimental design consisted of plots measuring 4.5 m2 arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The objective of the study is to evaluate the performance of twenty-seven cultivars of tall fescue with the aim of using the species in soccer fields with a permanent stand approach, with no need to manage spring and fall transitions. The field study encompasses determinations referring to the establishment stage, the maintenance at low cutting height stage (20 mm) and the subsequent stage of soccer use under different seasonal conditions (autumn, winter, and spring). Results showed that certain fescue cultivars, notably ‘Essential’, ‘Eyecandy’, and ‘FAG3/19-20208B’, exhibited quick establishment and adaptation to low cutting height (20 mm), and performed similarly to the reference ryegrasses ‘Gianna’ and ‘Mercitwo’ in terms of wear tolerance and recovery capacity across the three seasons. Moreover, most of the tested tall fescue cultivars performed well at a 20 mm mowing height, maintaining satisfactory quality and density. Among these, ‘Eyecandy’ and ‘Foxhound’ displayed finer leaf textures, comparable to those of the reference ryegrass.

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the importance of performance psychological factors (PPF) among Korean and Chinese football experts (FE) and to identify differences in their judgments regarding PPF.MethodsIn this study, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was conducted with 60 participants, including Ph.D. holders in sports psychology with player experience and football coaches with over 10 years of combined experience as players, coaches, and researchers. The standardized scores from the AHP results were used to determine the differences in judgments regarding the importance of PPF between the two countries.ResultsFirst, Korean FE make judgments on the importance of PPF in the order of factors such as game intelligence and fundamentals, and in the subfactors, practical intelligence, anxiety control, and confidence. Second, Chinese FE make judgments on the importance of PPF in the order of factors such as fundamentals and game intelligence, and in the subfactors, practical intelligence, confidence, and fighting spirit. Third, PPF judged by Korean FE range from confidence (0.050), which is the closest, to pressure control (0.792), which is the farthest. PPF judged by Chinese FE range from analyzing abilities (0.106), the closest, to fighting spirit (0.919), the farthest.ConclusionsThe differences in judgments regarding the importance of PPF in Korean and Chinese FE may reflect varying evaluations of psychological factors influenced by each country's football culture. Overall, this study can serve as a resource for mutual understanding and communication between the two countries.

This article reviews the history of geogames starting with their first definition going back to 2005 when geogames were first mentioned and defined as location-based games. This definition was then broadened in 2012 and 2018 to define them as games that use geospatial data and mirror the real world by providing realistic digital visualizations in a computer-based system. This article recognizes the need to broaden the definition of geogames and unite researchers working in a variety of application areas under a common umbrella. They are distinguished by their integration of location-based features, real-world data, and interactive, often collaborative, gameplay that reflects the complexity of environmental and societal interconnections. Geogames create playful experiences grounded in the use of real-world geographic data, locational knowledge, and spatial reasoning. The article concludes with a suggested research agenda and a discussion about the challenges and opportunities of geogames as a research field.

Disengagement from games can be challenging for players, and various attempts have been made to provide parents with the tools to limit children’s playing time. However, little is known about how children experience disengagement, and how children and parents jointly navigate the process of exiting a play session. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 participants, including 13 children (ages 4–9) and 12 parents. Through Thematic Analysis, we show that children – like adults – struggle to exit play if they have not yet reached a point of closure and are unsatisfied with their experience. At the same time, parents experience frustration when establishing limits, and many found it difficult to account for the state of a play session. On this basis, we highlight the relevance of disengagement-friendly game design and mediation strategies, and provide recommendations for children’s disengagement from play sessions while protecting their player experience.

Persuasive games, designed to change attitudes and inspire behavior change, have attracted significant interest. In particular, persuasive recruitment games are increasingly in demand due to under recruitment in many occupations. However, research on persuasive games often lacks clear design guidance and tends to focus on individual player experience factors, rather than identifying and prioritizing the most influential ones that should shape design decisions. Our study (n = 957) examined how player experience impacts recruitment interventions aimed at encouraging careers in teaching. We compared three approaches; a persuasive game, a “realistic job preview” (RJP) and a control game. Effectiveness was measured by increases in Interest (in teaching), Person-vocation (PV) fit and Self-efficacy. Results showed that the persuasive game was the most effective at increasing Interest, while the RJP had the greatest impact on PV fit and Self-efficacy. Interest was primarily influenced by experiences of meaning, followed by mastery. Conversely, mastery followed by meaning were the strongest influences on PV fit and Self-efficacy. Experiences of immersion or autonomy had no significant effect on persuasion. We discuss how understanding which aspects of game experience have most impact can aid the design of persuasive games for recruitment and other purposes. 

Insufficient physical activity is a major challenge in our aging society. Although exergames can provide enjoyable exercise opportunities for older adults, it remains unclear which display technology is best suited to reach this goal. This paper compares two popular exergame technologies with different immersion levels: (i) a virtual reality head-mounted display (VR-HMD) and (ii) the ExerCube, a commercial projection-based system. We conducted a within-participants study ( N =34) with older adults to evaluate player experience, presence, cybersickness, game performance, and physical exertion. Both display types provided a comparably high player experience and physical exertion that can benefit older adults’ physical well-being. The VR-HMD offered superior presence, while the ExerCube led to higher performance and physical activity. Our findings advance the understanding of how different exergame technologies affect older adults’ experiences. We present research and design implications to guide the future development of age-appropriate exergames.

Interactive technology and games provide promising methods for wheelchair skills training. This paper introduces RollAbility, a rehabilitative game for powered wheelchair skills training aimed at children and teenagers with complex movement disorders. The game combines clinical best practices and standardized training protocols with player experience goals. Developed through an iterative process with rehabilitation experts and game designers, RollAbility utilizes the Wheelchair Skills Training Program [Kirby et al. '23] and integrates key insights from Aufheimer's [CHI '23] motivation studies in physical therapy to ensure both therapeutic and engaging gameplay. Evaluated through exploratory sessions with children, therapists, and clinical experts, results show that RollAbility effectively merges clinical protocols with an engaging game format. However, balancing player autonomy and therapist guidance remains a critical consideration. This work offers a blueprint for designing therapeutic games that align clinical protocols with engaging player experiences.

Despite the growing exploration of body games for social interaction, current approaches predominantly focus on physical mimicry while overlooking the critical emotional dimension of bodily expression. We address this gap by investigating emotion mimicry as a novel game mechanic for enhancing social presence and interpersonal connection. This paper introduces EmoEcho, a two-player 2D side-scrolling game that integrates emotion mimicry into its core mechanics. In EmoEcho, one player's facial expressions trigger game events while the second player must mimic these expressions to interact with game elements. Through a controlled comparative study (N=24, 12 pairs) contrasting emotion-based input against conventional keyboard controls, we demonstrate that emotion mimicry significantly enhanced social presence and overall game experience. Qualitative interviews further suggest that emotion mimicry enriched player experience via intriguing emotion-based embodied interaction, collaborative emotion co-creation, and development of shared emotional experiences. Our findings extend the understanding of social body games beyond physical mimicry to the emotional domain and provide actionable design implications for creating emotional social games. This work opens new space for game designers to leverage face-to-face emotional expressions as a powerful interface for creating meaningful social play experiences.