2021
Koskinen, Elina; Meriläinen, Mikko
Social Playfulness—Memorable Family Co-play Experiences with Pokémon GO
In: Spanellis, Agnessa; Harviainen, J. Tuomas (Ed.): Transforming Society and Organizations through Gamification, pp. 247-270, Springer International, 2021, ISBN: 9783030682064.
Book chapter
Abstract | Links | Tags: Family, Location-based game, Player experience, Playfulness, Pokémon Go
@incollection{Koskinen2021,
title = {Social Playfulness—Memorable Family Co-play Experiences with Pokémon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Mikko Meriläinen},
editor = {Agnessa Spanellis and J. Tuomas Harviainen
},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-68207-1_13},
isbn = {9783030682064},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-05-08},
booktitle = {Transforming Society and Organizations through Gamification},
pages = {247-270},
publisher = {Springer International},
abstract = {Pokémon GO, a very popular location-based augmented reality game, has appealed to a wide range of age groups and encouraged entire families to play. This chapter examines family social interactions in the context of digital gaming through an exploratory qualitative survey study (n = 263) of Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences. We studied siblings and partners in addition to children and parents to chart the many forms of family interaction around Pokémon GO. Our results suggest that playing digital games in a family context can facilitate diverse positive experiences and interactions and support family bonding, but this is contingent on a variety of gameplay features. In the case of Pokémon GO, a key element was the playful mindset elicited by the game, in turn encouraged by its location-based gameplay. Pokémon GO can augment everyday interactions by adding a playful layer to them, since it is easily embedded in and combined with other activities.
},
keywords = {Family, Location-based game, Player experience, Playfulness, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Pokémon GO, a very popular location-based augmented reality game, has appealed to a wide range of age groups and encouraged entire families to play. This chapter examines family social interactions in the context of digital gaming through an exploratory qualitative survey study (n = 263) of Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences. We studied siblings and partners in addition to children and parents to chart the many forms of family interaction around Pokémon GO. Our results suggest that playing digital games in a family context can facilitate diverse positive experiences and interactions and support family bonding, but this is contingent on a variety of gameplay features. In the case of Pokémon GO, a key element was the playful mindset elicited by the game, in turn encouraged by its location-based gameplay. Pokémon GO can augment everyday interactions by adding a playful layer to them, since it is easily embedded in and combined with other activities.
2020
Paavilainen, Janne
Defining Playability of Games: Functionality, Usability, and Gameplay
In: AcademicMindtrek '20: Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Academic Mindtrek, pp. 55-64, ACM, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-4503-7774-4.
In proceedings
Abstract | Links | Tags: Functionality, Gameplay, Games, Playability, Player experience, Theory, Usability, User experience
@inproceedings{Paavilainen2020,
title = {Defining Playability of Games: Functionality, Usability, and Gameplay},
author = {Janne Paavilainen},
doi = {10.1145/3377290.3377309},
isbn = {978-1-4503-7774-4},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-28},
urldate = {2020-01-28},
booktitle = {AcademicMindtrek '20: Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Academic Mindtrek},
pages = {55-64},
publisher = {ACM},
abstract = {Playability is an ambiguous term that is often used but seldom defined. Used by researchers, practitioners, journalists, and players alike, the term has remained unclear due to different interpretations and definitions. We aim to provide clarity on this issue and propose a definition for playability that is based on a game's functionality, usability, and gameplay. We argue that playability should not cover aspects such as controllers, social contexts, or player experiences, as these are external factors related to hardware, situation, and players. Our definition is based on games as systems paradigm and it focuses only on components that the designer can design into the game. This approach provides clarity between playability and player experience, and it is applicable to all kinds of games - physical or digital. Good playability does not necessarily result in good player experience, while games with poor playability can be enjoyable in the certain contexts.},
keywords = {Functionality, Gameplay, Games, Playability, Player experience, Theory, Usability, User experience},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Playability is an ambiguous term that is often used but seldom defined. Used by researchers, practitioners, journalists, and players alike, the term has remained unclear due to different interpretations and definitions. We aim to provide clarity on this issue and propose a definition for playability that is based on a game's functionality, usability, and gameplay. We argue that playability should not cover aspects such as controllers, social contexts, or player experiences, as these are external factors related to hardware, situation, and players. Our definition is based on games as systems paradigm and it focuses only on components that the designer can design into the game. This approach provides clarity between playability and player experience, and it is applicable to all kinds of games - physical or digital. Good playability does not necessarily result in good player experience, while games with poor playability can be enjoyable in the certain contexts.
2019
Koskinen, Elina; Alha, Kati; Leorke, Dale; Paavilainen, Janne
Middle-aged Players’ Memorable Experiences with Pokémon GO
In: DiGRA '19 - Proceedings of the 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo-Mix, DiGRA, 2019, ISSN: 2342-9666.
In proceedings Open access
Abstract | Links | Tags: Augmented reality, Location-based game, Middle-aged players, Older gamers, Player experience, Pokémon Go
@inproceedings{Koskinen2019b,
title = {Middle-aged Players’ Memorable Experiences with Pokémon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Kati Alha and Dale Leorke and Janne Paavilainen},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202009016828},
issn = {2342-9666},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-08-06},
booktitle = {DiGRA '19 - Proceedings of the 2019 DiGRA International Conference: Game, Play and the Emerging Ludo-Mix},
publisher = {DiGRA},
abstract = {As the first location-based augmented reality game to gain mainstream popularity, Pokémon GO also reached an older demographic of players that have traditionally played less and whose play experiences are under-researched. In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative survey study (n=349) focusing on the middle-aged (40–65-year-old) Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and its player base likely most diverse. We analyzed the open-ended survey responses with thematic analysis, resulting in 7 categories and 88 thematic codes. The categories constructed were Game Play & Game Content, People & Sociability, Location, Circumstances & Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand the play experiences of middle-aged players through Pokémon GO. These findings also capture the memorable moments of a massive, unique social phenomenon at its peak from the perspective of a traditionally overlooked demographic.},
keywords = {Augmented reality, Location-based game, Middle-aged players, Older gamers, Player experience, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
As the first location-based augmented reality game to gain mainstream popularity, Pokémon GO also reached an older demographic of players that have traditionally played less and whose play experiences are under-researched. In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative survey study (n=349) focusing on the middle-aged (40–65-year-old) Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and its player base likely most diverse. We analyzed the open-ended survey responses with thematic analysis, resulting in 7 categories and 88 thematic codes. The categories constructed were Game Play & Game Content, People & Sociability, Location, Circumstances & Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand the play experiences of middle-aged players through Pokémon GO. These findings also capture the memorable moments of a massive, unique social phenomenon at its peak from the perspective of a traditionally overlooked demographic.
Koskinen, Elina; Leorke, Dale; Alha, Kati; Paavilainen, Janne
Player Experiences in Location-based Games: Memorable Moments with Pokemon GO
In: Geroimenko, Vladimir (Ed.): Augmented Reality Games I: Understanding the Pokémon GO Phenomenon, pp. 95-116, Springer Nature, 2019, ISBN: 978-3-030-15615-2.
Book chapter Open access
Abstract | Links | Tags: Location-based game, Player experience, Pokémon Go
@incollection{Koskinen2019,
title = {Player Experiences in Location-based Games: Memorable Moments with Pokemon GO},
author = {Elina Koskinen and Dale Leorke and Kati Alha and Janne Paavilainen},
editor = {Vladimir Geroimenko},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202101151332},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-15616-9_7},
isbn = {978-3-030-15615-2},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-05-22},
urldate = {2019-05-22},
booktitle = {Augmented Reality Games I: Understanding the Pokémon GO Phenomenon},
pages = {95-116},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
abstract = {Pokémon GO was the first location-based augmented reality game to reach mainstream popularity. We present a qualitative survey study (n = 2611) focusing on the Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and the experiences were fresh in players’ minds. We analyzed the open-ended written responses with thematic analysis, resulting in seven categories with a total of 82 thematic codes. The categories we constructed were Game Play and Game Content, People and Sociability, Location, Circumstances and Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand Pokémon GO as a unique social phenomenon as well as a location-based augmented reality game more broadly. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO experiences and considering the potential for location-based games to engage players within the physical and social context around them, the findings capture what players found memorable about the massive phenomenon at its peak.},
keywords = {Location-based game, Player experience, Pokémon Go},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Pokémon GO was the first location-based augmented reality game to reach mainstream popularity. We present a qualitative survey study (n = 2611) focusing on the Pokémon GO players’ memorable experiences from the time when the game’s popularity was at its peak and the experiences were fresh in players’ minds. We analyzed the open-ended written responses with thematic analysis, resulting in seven categories with a total of 82 thematic codes. The categories we constructed were Game Play and Game Content, People and Sociability, Location, Circumstances and Context, Negative Events, Feelings and Other Codes. Through our analysis and findings, we provide insights to understand Pokémon GO as a unique social phenomenon as well as a location-based augmented reality game more broadly. In addition to shedding more light on the Pokémon GO experiences and considering the potential for location-based games to engage players within the physical and social context around them, the findings capture what players found memorable about the massive phenomenon at its peak.