How Location-Based Games Incentivize Moving About: A Study in the Context of Nature-Going
First author: LaatoYear: 2023
Abstract
Location-based multiplayer games such as Pokémon GO are tied to real-world locations. Past research has demonstrated that, consequently, these games in uence where players move. In order to explore what dynamics in these games incentivize travel to specific places or areas, we engaged in interviews with active players. We discovered 11 unique game dynamics, which could be positioned under three overarching themes: (1) the playing field, as determined by the placement of points of interest, the players’ habitat and their surroundings; (2) the player communities and real life relationships, which motivated and directed the playing; and (3) coincidental motivational support, which highlighted how location-based games offer multi-layered motivation for players to travel to, and engage with, specific real-world locations. Our study contributes to the fields of gamified human mobility and human-nature interaction by elucidating how playful technologies can influence where and when people move.Details
Language: EnglishCountry of affiliation: Finland
Published in: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Publication type: Journal article
Source: https://doi.org/10.1145/3611044
Games
No Results
Franchises
No Results
Studies
Description: Interviews (semi-structured) grounded in Gioia method
Research type: Non-experimental
Data type: Qualitative
Comparator: none
Control group: no
Pilot study: no
Pre/post measures used: no
Follow-up: no
Sample type: Players
Sample size: 21
Power analysis: no
Sample countries: Finland
Games studied: Pokémon GO, Ingress, Draconius GO, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Orna, Pikmin Bloom, Moomin Move
Franchises studied: Pokémon (F), Pikmin (F), Moomin (F)
Study outcomes: Engaging with nature, Perception