Impact of Video Games on Emotions

In the realm of entertainment, video games have emerged as a unique and compelling medium, offering an immersive experience unlike any other. This article delves into the emotional power of games, using the theory of 'Flow' as a guiding lens.

Katherine Isbister, a game and human computer interaction researcher and designer, currently a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has been at the forefront of this exploration. Her work, as presented in her book "How Games Move Us," provides valuable insights into the emotional impact of video games.

Flow theory, first proposed by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, offers a useful framework for understanding the unique emotional power of games. Csikszentmihalyi identified eight factors defining the optimal state of flow, which are familiar to anyone who finds games compelling. These factors include clear goals, immediate feedback, and a balance between challenge and skill.

Active gamers show more activation of "reward-related mesolimbic neural circuits" in their brains compared to passive viewers, suggesting a deeper emotional engagement with games. This activation is akin to the response we might have to real-life rewards, further emphasising the emotional power of games.

Games offer players the chance to influence outcomes through their own efforts, which is not true of film, novels, or television. This interactive element is a significant factor in the emotional response players have to games. Games like Train and Black and White: Creature Isle capitalise on this interactive element, creating tension by juxtaposing the satisfying, flow-style emotions the player feels while mastering the game with the negative emotions that arise from the social context of these actions.

Game developers like Jenova Chen, Will Wright, and Brenda Brathwaite Romero have used various strategies and techniques to create emotional experiences in games. Chen, for example, intentionally tried to reproduce the eight major factors of flow in his game design practice, such as in Journey. Wright, designer of The Sims, believes that games can evoke emotions similar to those experienced in movies. Romero's Train calls on interesting choices and the flow state to implicate players in social choices and outcomes.

However, unlike film, fiction, or music, there isn't a common language among designers, players, and society at large for understanding the emotional impact of games. This is a challenge that game developers and researchers are working to overcome. Psychology researchers have used videogames as research instruments to study emotions and their relationship to goals, decisions, and their consequences.

Electronic Arts (EA) posed the question "Can a Computer Make You Cry?" as a rallying cry for creating social feelings in games. This question, while seemingly simple, encapsulates the essence of the emotional journey that games can offer. Jane McGonigal, a game developer, conducted her master's thesis on the state of "Flow" and developed successful games like "SuperBetter" inspired by this concept.

Actions with consequences in games can lead to a new set of emotional possibilities for game designers. For instance, in Black and White: Creature Isle, players can mold an evil creature by treating it badly or create a moral creature by treating it kindly, which can evoke feelings of guilt in players.

In conclusion, the emotional power of video games is a fascinating and rapidly evolving field. By understanding theories like Flow and grounded cognition, and by continuing to push the boundaries of game design, developers are creating experiences that resonate deeply with players, offering a unique and powerful form of emotional engagement.