Impacts of Forced Serious Game Play on Vulnerable Subgroups

Three vulnerable subgroups of players (non-gamers, resistant players, and females) were studied to understand how each approaches and plays serious games. We explore forced (required) play using four different online casual games. Our research strongly suggests that the most important threat to a serious game’s impact is when players dislike the game. Serious games are likely to be least effective for players who dislike a game and most effective for those who like the game. Different people like and dislike different games, so simply advising designers to make a great game does not eradicate the problem. Additionally, non-gamers were at a distinct disadvantage as far as gameplay performance. They experienced more negative affect in two of the four games. Finally, males tended to seek more difficult challenges in games than females did. The optimal amount of challenge may be the most important gender difference to consider when designing serious games.