The older player of digital games: A classification based on perceived need satisfaction

Schutter, Bob De; Malliet, Steven

doi:10.1515/commun-2014-0005

Cited by 54 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This study is not without known methodological limitations regarding problems in obtaining a representative sample of older adult players [6]. Of note, there is great heterogeneity in older people regarding their cognitive and physical abilities and their preferred leisure activities that were not addressed in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, learning to play and interact with fast-paced action video games can be very difficult and demotivating for older adults. Second, questionnaire and playtest studies have found that older adults generally dislike action video games, especially when featuring violent content [4,6-8]. Together, this leads to a situation where older adults, despite promising cognitive benefits, are less willing and motivated to play action video games, and thus less likely to follow through with action video game interventions [4,8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What Older People Like to Play: Genre Preferences and Acceptance of Casual Games

et al. 2017

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BackgroundIn recent computerized cognitive training studies, video games have emerged as a promising tool that can benefit cognitive function and well-being. Whereas most video game training studies have used first-person shooter (FPS) action video games, subsequent studies found that older adults dislike this type of game and generally prefer casual video games (CVGs), which are a subtype of video games that are easy to learn and use simple rules and interfaces. Like other video games, CVGs are organized into genres (eg, puzzle games) based on the rule-directed interaction with the game. Importantly, game genre not only influences the ease of interaction and cognitive abilities CVGs demand, but also affects whether older adults are willing to play any particular genre. To date, studies looking at how different CVG genres resonate with older adults are lacking.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate how much older adults enjoy different CVG genres and how favorably their CVG characteristics are rated.MethodsA total of 16 healthy adults aged 65 years and above playtested 7 CVGs from 4 genres: casual action, puzzle, simulation, and strategy video games. Thereafter, they rated casual game preference and acceptance of casual game characteristics using 4 scales from the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience Questionnaire (CEGEQ). For this, participants rated how much they liked the game (enjoyment), understood the rules of the game (game-play), learned to manipulate the game (control), and make the game their own (ownership).ResultsOverall, enjoyment and acceptance of casual game characteristics was high and significantly above the midpoint of the rating scale for all CVG genres. Mixed model analyses revealed that ratings of enjoyment and casual game characteristics were significantly influenced by CVG genre. Participants’ mean enjoyment of casual puzzle games (mean 0.95 out of 1.00) was significantly higher than that for casual simulation games (mean 0.75 and 0.73). For casual game characteristics, casual puzzle and simulation games were given significantly higher game-play ratings than casual action games. Similarly, participants’ control ratings for casual puzzle games were significantly higher than that for casual action and simulation games. Finally, ownership was rated significantly higher for casual puzzle and strategy games than for casual action games.ConclusionsThe findings of this study show that CVGs have characteristics that are suitable and enjoyable for older adults. In addition, genre was found to influence enjoyment and ratings of CVG characteristics, indicating that puzzle games are particularly easy to understand, learn, and play, and are enjoyable. Future studies should continue exploring the potential of CVG interventions for older adults in improving cognitive function, everyday functioning, and well-being. We see particular potential for CVGs in people suffering from cognitive impairment due to dementia or brain injury.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Older People Like to Play: Genre Preferences and Acceptance of Casual Games

et al. 2017

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“…Based on an online survey of players of one casual video game, Whitbourne, Ellenberg, and Akimoto (2013) reported that gamers of all ages played primarily for social reasons, and older adults said that gameplay helped them to improve their visual and spatial skills and their response time. De Schutter and Malliet (2014) identified cognitive and social connectedness needs as two of five types of gameplay motivation identified by older adults but could not directly relate these to the types of satisfaction that their subjects described. Gerling et al (2015) and McLaughlin et al (2012) suggested that difficulties in learning and playing digital games are among the costs that discourage older adults from engaging in gameplay, but they do not specifically address the benefits perceived by those who have avoided or overcome these issues to become more frequent and/ or skilled players.…”

Section: Perceived Gameplay Benefits and Costsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Games satisfy a variety of needs for older adults (De Schutter, Brown, & Vanden Abeele, 2015;De Schutter & Malliet, 2014). Adults play games for many reasons, and their motivations vary with their previous game exposure and their physical and cognitive abilities (Brown, 2012(Brown, , 2014.…”

Section: Digital Games and Older Adultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older Adults’ Digital Gameplay

Kaufman

Sauvé

Rénaud

et al. 2016

Simulation & Gaming

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Background. Empirical evidence suggests that digital gameplay can enhance social interaction and improve cognition for older adults. However, if digital games are to be effectively used as interventions to address age-related challenges, it is important to explore older adults' experiences in playing them.Aim. The purpose of this survey design study was to identify digital gameplay patterns, perceived socio-emotional and cognitive benefits, and difficulties encountered in the gameplay experiences of older adults.Method. Adults aged 55 or older, recruited from seniors' centers and local shopping malls in a Canadian city, responded to a printed, mainly closed-ended questionnaire.Results. 463 respondents reported that they actively play digital games. Most played alone rather than with others, and most rated themselves as intermediate or expert players. Players self-reported cognitive benefits but few socioemotional benefits and few difficulties.Conclusions. The results of this study show promise for the use of digital games to provide innovative and engaging activities for enhancing older adults' aging processes. Significant associations were found between player skill level and reported benefits.

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“…It is also a common means for grandparents and grandchildren to build relationships, enjoy each other's company, learn together, resolve problems collaboratively, and get close through mutual encouragement (Zhang & Kaufman, 2016a). Today, many younger people and older adults have integrated digital games into their daily leisure activities (De Schutter & Malliet, 2014). In 2015, 26% of game players in America were aged 50 and over (ESA, 2016).…”

Section: Intergenerational Digital Gameplaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Situated learning through intergenerational play between older adults and undergraduates

Zhang

Kaufman

Schell

et al. 2017

Int J Educ Technol High Educ

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This study is grounded in a social-cultural framework that embeds learning in social activities, mediated by cultural tools and occurring through guided participation in the social practice of a particular community. It uses conversation analysis as a tool to examine the structures of the talk-in-interaction of naturally occurring conversations between 11 pairs of older adult (aged between 65 and 92) and undergraduates (aged between 18 and 25) during a 6-week social practice of intergenerational digital gameplay. The purpose is to demonstrate how older adults adapt to and make sense of collaborative gaming activities through guided participation. The features of minimum gap and overlap, even conversational inputs, and orientation to one another's turns indicate interactional connection between older adults and younger people. Adjacency pairs in the form of question-answer and self-initiated other-repairs are the situated use of social resources afforded by the intergenerational interaction. It is through these two main means of interaction that younger players offer immediate feedback and explanation to guide older adults to engage in the collaborative play and develop understanding of unfolding concepts and phenomena.

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The older player of digital games: A classification based on perceived need satisfaction

Cited by 54 publications

References 4 publications

What Older People Like to Play: Genre Preferences and Acceptance of Casual Games

What Older People Like to Play: Genre Preferences and Acceptance of Casual Games

Older Adults’ Digital Gameplay

Situated learning through intergenerational play between older adults and undergraduates

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