Gaming is a hobby for everyone. Every day, millions of people around the world take anywhere from minutes to hours to play, whether they’re competitive players, they want to relax or they want to uncover a story.
However, different motivations mean that gamers need different experiences. A player may be attracted to the concept of a specific title, but be put off by elements of the gameplay. Even established fans of a game may not always feel like playing that title. A PVP game may do well with a certain crowd, but what if a player doesn’t feel like playing a game with competitive elements?
In this guest post, Skillprint CEO Chethan Ramachandran discusses the potential of personalising gameplay as a means to enhance the player experience.
Imagine optimising a game to suit different age groups or target audiences. By fine-tuning gameplay mechanics, adjusting difficulty levels, and customising themes, developers can craft experiences that resonate with players of all ages and game preferences. Whether it’s ramping up the difficulty for competitive players or slowing the pace for players looking to relax, personalising gameplay can not only increase engagement with existing players but also open up new avenues for engaging a wider range of players.
Contextual gameplay
A game can be more than mere entertainment; it can stimulate curiosity, offer escape, or be a source of relaxation. By taking into account the player’s context, such as the time of day, their emotional state, or their desired state of mind, developers can design gameplay experiences that align with the player’s needs.
For instance, a player seeking to unwind after a demanding day may enjoy a puzzle game with no time constraints, while a weekend warrior may be seeking challenge and competition to sharpen their focus. Personalising gameplay based on context fosters a deeper bond between the player and the game. Player behaviours, including when and what they play, as well as gameplay data, can be leveraged to infer players’ motivations and emotional state.
Player segmentation techniques
Personalisation is essential to prevent players from becoming bored or frustrated. By pinpointing a player’s skills, preferences, and personality traits, developers can dynamically adjust the gameplay experience to keep it engaging and rewarding. Importantly, this customisation does not require explicit labelling or imposing restrictions. Instead, it leverages links between game features and real-time gameplay data to cultivate a seamless, immersive experience for each player.
For instance, a player’s level of frustration can be estimated by tracking their pace of progress relative to the setbacks they experience, and their challenge and enjoyment can be fine-tuned by adjusting the number of moves, powerups, or resources given, or the strength, speed and number of enemies.
Beyond personalising gameplay, player segmentation serves a broader purpose by enabling developers to target specific audiences for advertising purposes, and to find new players who will resonate with their game. A player’s personality traits, cognitive skills, mood, and motivations are predictive of the games that they enjoy.
For example, open-minded people are more likely to enjoy role-playing games, while conscientious people tend to enjoy sports and racing games. By showcasing the effectiveness of player segmentation through case studies and visuals, developers can embrace this approach as a powerful tool in their game
development arsenal.
Benefits for players
The true power of personalisation lies in its ability to cater to individual player motivations. Players oftentimes have motivations which they may or may not be explicitly aware of, including a desire to relax after work or before going to bed, or to compete or socialise, amongst others.
By understanding what ignites a player’s interest, developers can tailor the gameplay experience to maximise enjoyment and fulfilment. This player-centric approach results in a more engrossing experience, leading to increased player retention and longer engagement periods. Players will more often find the emotional effects they are seeking, which may even benefit their mental well-being.
Studios of all sizes can leverage a personalisation approach
As the gaming industry evolves, personalising gameplay has emerged as a game-changer for developers and players alike. By understanding players’ individual needs, preferences, and motivations, developers can create immersive experiences that keep players engaged and invested for longer periods. With the power to extend game lifecycles and attract broader audiences, personalisation is paving the way for the future of game development.
