No One Likes to Lose

Abstract

Although scholars of video game enjoyment propose that games are meant to present a reasonable and appropriate challenge to players, not enough research has tested the effects of difficulty on enjoyment or the psychological mechanisms driving this relationship. In an experimental study involving college students (N = 121) playing a casual online tower defense game, we tested the relationship between difficulty and enjoyment and the possible mediating roles played by competency, as specified by self-determination theory, and challenge-skill balance, as specified by flow theory. Path analysis suggested that feelings of competency contribute to enjoyment by helping players obtain a balance between challenge and skill, and that competency is enhanced when players are assigned an easier game mode. This paper then addresses implications for theory, game design, and laboratory studies.

Self-Determination Theory in Digital Games

“…Too easy games, in contrast, will feel boring and lose the interest of the players. Research also suggests that diffi culty balancing is associated with higher levels of competence, which then predicts higher levels of enjoyment (Schmierbach et al 2014 ). Similarly, in an experimental study using a multiplayer game with dynamic diffi culty adjustment feature, players who were assisted by the game reported higher satisfaction of all three needs if they were unaware of the adjustment.…”

From duels to classroom competition: Social competition and learning in educational videogames within different group sizes

“…Despite these core procedures induced through competition that ensure that the activity can be considered "gaming" at all, there are further functions competition can fulfill in game design. For example, competition may provide support to balance the game; human opponents may provide worthy enemies; and competitive features may allow the use of complex strategies because of the intelligence and creativity of other players compared to an artificial intelligence (Schell, 2008). Additionally, competitive gameplay can be used to provide a clear goal (Cheng, Wu, Liao, & Chan, 2009), which might be especially important in light of recent research on goals in educational videogames (e.g., Nebel, Schneider, Schledjewski, & Rey, Manuscript submitted for publication).…”

“…First, competitive elements in entertainment-focused games mostly feature an adaptive or adjustable difficulty level to balance the impact of challenge on gaming experience and to adjust to the various player types. Most players of too difficult games feel less competent and suffer from a reduced sense of challenge-skill balance and diminished enjoyment (Schmierbach, Chung, Wu, & Kim, 2014). However, in contrast to entertainment games, the desired learning standard in an educational videogame is predefined by the teacher and has to be reached.…”

“…Symmetrical social competitive gameplay is comparatively easy to include in a learning session that contains educational videogames. In this variation of competition, each player has the same resources and options, has to master the same task, and has to reach the same goals (Adams, 2013;Schell, 2008). However, some learning topics are deeply asymmetrical; for example, the political relations of Palestinians and Israeli.…”

“…Although single-player games certainly will not cease to exist (Schell, 2008), the attribute of competition in different group constellations seems to be one of the important factors in videogame development and should not be ignored in research analyzing the learning potential of videogames. Therefore, we will outline the role of competition as a core game mechanic and its effects on learning.…”