The gaming industry is on the verge of immense growth. Currently, we have a community of around 2 billion gamers around the world in 2023. Every day there is a new game launched on the relevant app store.
Many companies are focusing on mobile games as a great investment as mobile gaming holds more than 77% revenue of the overall gaming industry. However, there are millions of games launched until now but only a few stand out among the masses.
The key reason why many games fail to attract an audience is the lack of understanding of gaming psychology. If you are into the gaming industry then you might have seen many factors for the efficient development of the game. Meanwhile, the psychology of a game is the primary aspect that you must understand even before comprehending the idea of your game.
Many games have a strong story line but they are unable to create a difference. In this blog, we will specifically discuss different aspects of gaming psychology to give you a broader view. Then, you can consult with a Game Development Company to design your dream game.
3 Psychological Aspects of Game Design that You Must Consider
Psychology has a great impact on understanding the core aspect of game design. Game developers have been introducing different strategies for game designing based on the gamer perspective. When you have a proper understanding of payer psychology, you have better chances to stand out in the market.
1- Motivation to Play
Motivation is the primary concern of gamers to play a game. That’s what should be the focus of the game designers to build a game while keeping the motivation aspect in mind. It has a lot to do with the user behavior as motivation itself lies into further two categories.
Intrinsic: A motivation that comes from inside to drive a person to perform a task for the sole purpose of enjoyment. Every human being has this need which may vary according to people. So, games provide a great way to address this intrinsic motivation by enabling the users to make choices that make them happier.
When you incorporate this mentality in your game while designing, it will really enhance the gamer experience. As a result, you design the visuals accordingly and align the functions in a way that can develop a sense of some purpose with enjoyment.
Extrinsic: This motivation enables a person to perform something to get validation by having a reward. It usually occurs when you want to take your mind off something. Here the gamers can take advantage of this need of a gamer and design the mechanics of the game accordingly. It should give a sense that the user feels rewarded after performing a task while feeling the competitiveness in the game.
2- Types of the Players
Apart from the motivation, the gamers acquire those games that suit their personality or something they like to be for self-enjoyment. When you realize this aspect, you can design your games keeping different personality traits in mind and target the audience accordingly. Let’s take some examples of payer types to have a better understanding.
Socializers: Some gamers play for the sake of socializing as they like interacting with other players. So, they basically use the game as a tool of communication with others while playing it.
Explorers: Some people like to adventure and discover new things. So, they play to satisfy their exploration will by finding new gadgets and areas in the game area usually by following a map.
Achievers: These are more goal-oriented people who always look for something to achieve. They enjoy earning points, passing new levels, and are very focused on the whole journey of their success in the game.
3- Game Mechanism
Once you understand the player types based on their motivation, it becomes easier to design the game by concentrating on the user’s preference. It allows the developers to build experiences that encourage the motivation of all the player types.
Considering these factors, game designers have formalized different practices. They utilize them in their game mechanics to please the individual’s requirements. Here are some popular game mechanics that you can take inspiration from.
Achievement sense
The sense of achievement is a representation of accomplishing something. In games, such rewards help you progress further or give you a sense of achievement that you can brag about in your social circle. But why are these achievements necessary and what’s the root behind them?
Every person in life is struggling to a certain extent to achieve something. Sometimes the complexity of the process becomes greater which lowers the confidence. Giving that level of satisfaction to a gamer in a sense of achievement can lift up their self-esteem. When they have a feeling of accomplishment, they might refind their true spirit to attain those goals.
Reluctance to loss
The fear of losing is an instinct in human beings and there are certain points in your life when you are in such a state. People are usually afraid of losing based on the probabilistic outcomes rather than seeing the bigger picture by taking the risk. As a matter of fact, we fear losing more than enjoying the victory. Considering the psychology of the players, you can design your game by keeping a balance between fear and achievement to motivate them to play.
Meaningful Purpose
As a natural instinct, we always look for purpose in our life. When you apply a mechanism that provides some meaning to the players, they will always be motivated to play while having the feeling to achieve something great.
If your game has a compelling story and the visual justifies its meaning, then the chances are higher to get the user’s attention. You can add some elements that keep the user connected while being inside and outside the game as part of their routine life.
The Bottom Line
Gaming psychology has a major impact on the success of any game before any other factor. When you design a game in accordance with the mentality of the gamers, you will surely have better chances to stand out from the competitors. You can have a true idea of this important aspect from the points that we highlighted in this blog. Now, you can consult with an app development company in Toronto and build your game accordingly.
