"I Would Not Be This Version of Myself Today": Elaborating on the Effects of Eudaimonic Gaming Experiences

TL;DR

This study explores how eudaimonic gaming experiences contribute to positive personal outcomes like growth and well-being, emphasizing the effects and their formation through a mixed-methods survey.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into the effects of eudaimonic gaming and extends theoretical models by identifying key components influencing positive outcomes.

Findings

Eudaimonic gaming experiences lead to personal growth and well-being.

Different components of gaming experiences influence specific positive effects.

The study offers practical implications for promoting meaningful gaming experiences.

Abstract

While much of the research in digital games has emphasized hedonic experiences, such as flow, enjoyment, and positive affect, recent years have seen increased interest in eudaimonic gaming experiences, typically mixed-affect and associated with personal meaningfulness and growth. The formation of such experiences in games is theorized to have four constituent elements: motivation, game use, experience, and effects. However, while the first three elements have been relatively well explored in the literature, the effects - and how they may influence positive individual outcomes - have been underexplored thus far. To this end, in this work, we investigate the perceived outcomes of eudaimonic gaming and how different components of the experience influence these effects. We conducted a survey (n = 166) in which respondents recounted meaningful gaming experiences and how they affected their present lives. We used a mixed-methods approach to classify effects and identify significant subcomponents of their formation. We contribute an empirical understanding of how meaningful gaming experiences can lead to positive reflective, learning, social, health, and career effects, extending current theoretical models of eudaimonic gaming experiences and offering implications for how researchers and practitioners might use these findings to promote positive outcomes for players.