Observed Computer Game Immersion

During my ongoing literature review I often discover interesting facts about things I’ve never thought about. Sometimes I can connect these facts with my own observations: The result is mostly a completely new idea why things are as they are. Maybe these ideas are new to you, too. Therefore I’ll share my new science based knowledge with you!

This week: This time, I think about computer game immersion and how it can dominate a player’s attention and awareness.

Immersion in a computer game means that a player is completely absorbed by the gameplay and forgets about the surrounding environment as well as the fact that a game is played. The attention is completely directed towards the gameplay and the player feels as if they are part of the virtual environment or at least that they have full control over it. When immersed in a computer game, all virtual events feel real and can evoke deep emotions. These emotions are even carried over into the real world and combine the real life with the virtual life.

However, the absorbtion rarely is total. Often, players are only partly immersed and split their attention between the real world and the virtual world. For instance, when two players play in multiplayer mode in front of the same screen using a gaming console, they continue to interact with each other or do have a conversation. The degree to which a player’s attention is directed towards the computer game depends on the player’s mental and physical involvement into the gameplay.

This shared attention also allows for the creation of Let’s Play videos (LPs). These videos cover a player’s gameplay and are enhanced by the player’s commentary which provides a second story arch in parallel to the game’s narrative. Personally, I enjoy creating LPs as this is a completely different approach to playing computer games. It is not only about enjoying the narrative or the gameplay, but also about using games to create something new. Thus, creating LPs is a very creative process that provides an entertaining aspect in itself.

Recently, I noticed the above-mentioned phenomenon of the shared attention and how it scales with the personal involvement of the player. Normally, I play Minecraft just as a background activity while discussing various things, such as spaceflight news, scientific results and personal experiences.

However, as I discovered some new game mechanics that have been added to the game with the last content update, I noticed how my personal involvement and hence the immersion increased. While exploring and discovering the new game mechanics, my ability to discuss topics declined and I frequently got distracted while talking.

Based on this subjective experience, I validated my own understanding of computer game immersion. 1) The degree of immersion quickly scales back up and down with the degree to which a player is involved in the gameplay. 2) A high degree of immersion dominates a player’s attention and immediately scales back other processes taking place outside of the virtual world, e.g., talking to other people.

In conclusion, computer game immersion is a powerful experience that not only evokes deep emotions, but also dominates a player’s attention and awareness. Simultaneously, immersion directly scales up or down based on player’s personal involvement in the gameplay.