The experience a player has while interacting with a video game comprises of many factors. Our research has shown that the emotional level has the most correlation with the repeated engagement of the game. In other words, if the player becomes emotionally connected, they will play the game again and again – meaning that they will buy the full product after playing the demo version. If the player dislikes the game or a level upon entering it, they will perceive it as difficult and give up early, opting to invest their time somewhere else.

The player’s emotions are directly related to the experience that they perceive. This not only comes from the aesthetics of the game, but also from the sound design, the player control, the rewarding scheme, and the tutorial or help system to enable them to learn the game. These and other factors are also effected by the chosen target audience, and developers and game testers rarely perceive how a target audience other than themselves, will react. Maximum market penetration will be achieved if audiences other than the targeted one are also taken into account when analyzing the player experience.

At Pivec Labs, we have multiple techniques of evaluating player emotions and the overall experience of a player. We can provide feedback and recommendations that will ensure the repeated engagement of targeted and other audiences, and increase the sales of your product. Contact us to learn more.