Game Design Psychology: Understanding User Behaviour

Gaming has a tremendous impact on the human psyche. It is multifaceted and interesting. Although there is no profession called the “game psychologist,” per say, psychology and motivation in game design are important for developers to understand. It helps them create video games that are increasingly immersive and engaging.

A study published by the Royal Society studied 1000 gamers, and found that those who played more reported higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of negative ones. Video games also improve cognitive skills in the players like attention, memory, and problem-solving.

EDIIIE, a game design and development studio, has curated this list of the most important factors that influence the psychology of game design. Game devs must keep these aspects in mind to create a game that leverages the user psychology and behavior. 

It is important to understand how the mind of your target market works. Read further to learn how to use the fundamentals of the player’s psychology. 

We look at the motivation, player types, and game mechanics that keep the players coming back.

1. Motivation

Motivation lies at the center of game design psychology. To understand it is to unlock the secrets to creating a captivating game. This can be via achieving goals, social interaction, competition, immersion, or escapism; or some combination of them. 

Motivation can be broken down into two categories:

1.1 Intrinsic

Intrinsic motivations are those that drive the player to complete the task for its own sake. This is a fundamental human need. This provides the player with a boost in self-esteem and happiness. This thinking must be integrated into the gameplay through player agency and control.

1.2 Extrinsic 

Extrinsic motivations drive the player to do a task to gain a reward or avoid punishment. Game mechanics help in installing this motivation type and in section 3, we will see how it is accomplished.

2. Player Types

Different gamers have different reasons for playing a game. This is an opportunity to gain insights into the psychology of games and gamers. Richard Bartle, a British writer, professor and game researcher, classified players into four categories based on their preferred actions in the game:

2.1 The Socializers

This category of players enjoys social interaction and connection. They seek games like MMORPGs that require communication and cooperation to play. Features like chat, multiplayer modes, and guild systems are important for these players.

2.2 The Explorers

This category of players is driven by curiosity and discovery. They play a game to uncover hidden secrets, explore vast worlds, and unravel complex mechanics. Game design features like exploration, discovery, and experimentation are their catnip.

2.3 The Achievers

These are the players who enjoy overcoming challenges, earning rewards, and reaching milestones. They desire to collect the points, the XP, the money, and more. Features like progression systems, leaderboards, and achievements motivate them to play.

2.4 The Killers

These players are motivated by in-game conflict. Their goal is to outsmart opponents, assert dominance, and achieve victory. Aspects like PvP modes, leaderboards, and player-versus-environment challenges make the game worth playing to them. 

3. Game Mechanics

Game mechanics dictate how players interact with the game. There are several benefits of game mechanics in developing player motivation:

3.1 Achievement

As the game progresses, players reach milestones, master skills, and earn rewards. Award systems like these motivate them to continue playing and conquer the next challenge.

3.2 Envy

Envy is leveraged to drive the players’ competitive spirit. Tools like leaderboards and player ranking create a social comparison. This encourages players to play harder and longer for recognition and a higher place in the rankings.

3.3 Ownership

Ownership mechanics instill player agency and a sense of control. This makes the players more invested in the gameplay. This further develops an emotional engagement between them. Features like customization options, player housing, or item collection are employed to promote this.

3.4 Progression

This is the game mechanics to track the player’s progress to give them a sense of growth. With leveling systems, skill trees, and experience points, players are motivated to keep on improving their mastery over the game mechanics. 

3.5 Status

Rewards like titles, badges, and exclusive rewards develop a social hierarchy within the game environment. This fuels the players to spend effort and time to receive the same high status as their peers.

Every game mechanic you employ to hack into the user’s thinking can be neatly delivered in the game design document (GDD).

3.6 Collection

This game mechanics appeals to the explorer and the achiever player types. They are driven to explore and complete more challenges to collect in-game assets. These can range from cosmetic items to rare artifacts.

3.7 Blissful Productivity

This taps into the user psychology to show them that putting in effort into the game is rewarding. Through crafting, farming, or resource management, repetitive tasks become more enjoyable.

3.8 Appointment

Appointment incentivizes players to play regularly. The aim is to create a sense of urgency and anticipation to drive long gameplay. Techniques like daily quests, login rewards, or timed events prove great in this.

3.9 Cascading Information

Tutorials, tooltips, and guided experiences. These provide the players with a path that gradually increases their skills. It allows them to master the game mechanics parallel to game progress.

3.10 Epic Meaning

Players derive meaning from the game’s story. There is a need for purpose in the game, with clear goals and objectives. Add significance to the game’s narratives, lore, and overarching goals.

Giving the People What They Want

These are the psychological aspects of game design. Game developers need these insights into gamer psychology to direct their work.

A clear understanding of game design psychology will enable you to create a gameplay that hits all the right spots. It will be rewarding, immersive, and engaging for the player. It will encourage the player to keep playing and to play over and over.

Do you wish to get into your players’ heads? Book a consultation with us to leverage our expertise and augment your game design.