Game Development Essentials
An Introduction
Chapter 2
Player Elements
who plays and why?
Key Chapter Questions
■ What motivates people to play games, and how does this
affect the types of games that are developed?
■ What is the difference between geographics,
demographics, and psychographics?
■ How has the player market changed over time?
■ What is the difference between the U.S. and South
Korean market?
■ What are the different generations of players in the
United States?
Player Motivation
• Social interaction
• Physical seclusion
• Competition
• Knowledge
• Mastery
• Escapism
• Addiction
• Therapy
• Exercise
• Creative expression
Player Suits
Richard Bartle’s “Players Who Suit MUDs”
Hearts: Socializers
 interact with other players
Clubs: Killers
 manipulate other players
Diamonds: Achievers
 interact with the environment
Spades: Explorers
 manipulate the environment
Geographics
South Korea
Japan
Germany
Regional US
Geographics
Psychographics
VALS (Values, Attitudes & Lifestyles Survey)
Psychographics
Demographics
•Gender
•Age
•Occupation
•Income
•Education
•Ethnicity
•Religion
•Political Affiliation
Demographics
Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
• 52% of players report watching less television as a result of playing games
• 47% of players are going to the movies less
• 41% of players watch movies at home less often
• 54% of U.S. households have purchased or plan to purchase one or more games
• adult women make up a larger percentage of players than boys ages 6–17
• females of all ages now make up almost 40% of the game-playing population
• men and women over 18 make up 64 percent of the player population
• 17% of players are over age 50
Demographics
Generation
• Silent
• Boom
• Generation X
• Millennial
• Trends quiz (p. 55)
Gen X
The “Lone Hero” Generation
Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft and Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman are
both depicted as lone heroes.
Millennials
The “Teamwork” Generation
Games that incorporate cooperation—such as A Tale in the
Desert and Puzzle Pirates—might be ideal games for the
Millennial Generation.
Summary
• Player motivation
• Player suits
• Geographics
• Psychographics
• Demographics
• Generations