Assassins, Gods, and Androids: How Narratives and Game Mechanics Shape Eudaimonic Game Experiences

Emerging research has suggested that digital games can generate entertainment experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment towards eudaimonic experiences: Being emotionally moved, stimulated to reflect on one’s self or a sense of elevation. Studies in this area have mainly focused individual game characteristics elicit singular and static moments. However, such focus neglects the interplay multiple aspects as well dynamic nature experiences. The current study takes novel approach by conducting qualitative analysis three (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Detroit: Become Human, God War) taking systematic notes shortly after playing. Results reveal moving, reflective, elevating were elicited when gameplay strong involvement with game’s narrative characters (i.e., engagement) and, some cases, narrative-impacting choices. These key aspects, turn, are enhanced clean player interfaces, graphically realistic characters, close camera perspectives, tone-appropriate soundtrack scores, both narrative-enhancing (e.g., War’s health mechanic) choice-enhancing mechanics Human’s flowchart). Eudaimonic also found evolve throughout game, more powerful occurring near end themes fueling flow overall narrative. This adds academic studying suggesting an innovative methodological provides detailed, integrative, perspective