2025
Tuuri, Kai; Koskela, Oskari; Tissari, Heli; Vahlo, Jukka
Exploring music-based attachment to video games through affect expressions in written memories Journal Article
In: Entertainment Computing, vol. 52, 2025, ISSN: 1875-9521.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Affect expressions, Attachment, Cognitive linguistics, Game music, Memories, Music psychology
@article{Tuuri2025,
title = {Exploring music-based attachment to video games through affect expressions in written memories},
author = {Kai Tuuri and Oskari Koskela and Heli Tissari and Jukka Vahlo },
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2024.100883
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875952124002519},
doi = {10.1016/j.entcom.2024.100883},
issn = {1875-9521},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-31},
urldate = {2025-01-31},
journal = {Entertainment Computing},
volume = {52},
abstract = {This paper presents an exploratory research on music-based attachment to video games, studied through personally valued game music memories. It focuses on people’s engagement with game music and game technologies, expanding previous research on the role of game music in people’s lives. We gathered 183 written game music memories and analyzed their contents and language. We focused on expressions of affect and sentiment, which we assumed would indicate affective involvement. However, we also explored the constitution of attachment by investigating how expressions of affect and sentiment were associated with other aspects in the stories that reflect personal valuation, focusing specifically on factors of autobiographical remembrance, conceptualizations of game music, and gaming technology related to memories. These investigations employed a mixed-methods approach that combined qualitative and statistical analyses. A major finding was that especially personal remembrances that involved an awareness of the self or related to the game music experience significantly predicted the use of expressions of affect and sentiment in the stories. In sum, the study outlines a framework for investigating people’s long-term engagement with technology as being intimately related to the context of everyday life and the constitution of self-understanding.},
keywords = {Affect expressions, Attachment, Cognitive linguistics, Game music, Memories, Music psychology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This paper presents an exploratory research on music-based attachment to video games, studied through personally valued game music memories. It focuses on people’s engagement with game music and game technologies, expanding previous research on the role of game music in people’s lives. We gathered 183 written game music memories and analyzed their contents and language. We focused on expressions of affect and sentiment, which we assumed would indicate affective involvement. However, we also explored the constitution of attachment by investigating how expressions of affect and sentiment were associated with other aspects in the stories that reflect personal valuation, focusing specifically on factors of autobiographical remembrance, conceptualizations of game music, and gaming technology related to memories. These investigations employed a mixed-methods approach that combined qualitative and statistical analyses. A major finding was that especially personal remembrances that involved an awareness of the self or related to the game music experience significantly predicted the use of expressions of affect and sentiment in the stories. In sum, the study outlines a framework for investigating people’s long-term engagement with technology as being intimately related to the context of everyday life and the constitution of self-understanding.
2021
Tuuri, Kai; Koskela, Oskari; Vahlo, Jukka; Tissari, Heli
Identifying the Impact of Game Music both Within and Beyond Gameplay Proceedings Article
In: Baalsrud Hauge, Jannicke; Cardoso, Jorge C. S.; Roque, Licínio; Gonzalez-Calero, Pedro A. (Ed.): Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2021: 20th IFIP TC 14 International Conference, ICEC 2021, pp. 411-418, Springer, 2021, ISSN: 0302-9743.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Game music, Human-music interaction, Impact, Memories
@inproceedings{Tuuri2021,
title = {Identifying the Impact of Game Music both Within and Beyond Gameplay},
author = {Kai Tuuri and Oskari Koskela and Jukka Vahlo and Heli Tissari},
editor = {Baalsrud Hauge, Jannicke and Jorge C. S. Cardoso and Licínio Roque and Pedro A. Gonzalez-Calero},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202111155659
},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89394-1_33},
issn = {0302-9743},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-11-02},
urldate = {2021-11-02},
booktitle = {Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2021: 20th IFIP TC 14 International Conference, ICEC 2021},
pages = {411-418},
publisher = {Springer},
series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science},
abstract = {This paper presents an overview of and a brief critical reflection on game music’s impact on players both within and beyond the context of gameplay. The analysis is based both on the current literature as well as on preliminary (work-in-progress) observations of our research project Game Music Everyday Memories. We consider how the functions and uses of game music potentially extend to people’s everyday life, thus constituting a personally and culturally meaningful relationship with music that is not immediately connected to gameplay. On the other hand, we consider the ways game music and a person’s attachment to the music are involved in gameplay motivation and potential game retention. As a conceptual thematization, four approaches for identifying the broader musical impact of games are suggested and discussed. To substantiate the discussion, we combine some preliminary observations from two different datasets gathered within the ongoing project: (D1) personal narratives of fond game music memories (N = 183), and (D2) survey-data on favourite game music (N = 785).},
keywords = {Game music, Human-music interaction, Impact, Memories},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This paper presents an overview of and a brief critical reflection on game music’s impact on players both within and beyond the context of gameplay. The analysis is based both on the current literature as well as on preliminary (work-in-progress) observations of our research project Game Music Everyday Memories. We consider how the functions and uses of game music potentially extend to people’s everyday life, thus constituting a personally and culturally meaningful relationship with music that is not immediately connected to gameplay. On the other hand, we consider the ways game music and a person’s attachment to the music are involved in gameplay motivation and potential game retention. As a conceptual thematization, four approaches for identifying the broader musical impact of games are suggested and discussed. To substantiate the discussion, we combine some preliminary observations from two different datasets gathered within the ongoing project: (D1) personal narratives of fond game music memories (N = 183), and (D2) survey-data on favourite game music (N = 785).