2022-02-16, Zahn, Carmen, Leisner, David, Niederhauser, Mario, Roos, Anna-Lena, Iseli, Tabea, Soldati, Marco

Maintaining social relationships is a basic human need and particularly essential in old age, including when living in a retirement home. Multiplayer video games can promote positive social interactions among players from different generations while playing. Yet, such facilitation of positive social interactions depends on specific game design. To systematically investigate the effects of game design on social interaction between seniors and their coplayers, the game Myosotis FoodPlanet was developed in this study, and the impacts of 3 different game modes on social interaction were compared in a controlled field trial. This study aims to compare the effects of 3 different game modes (competitive, cooperative, and creative) on social interactions (verbal and nonverbal communication) between seniors and their younger coplayers. The results show that game mode can be an important factor for shaping the social interactions of players playing together. Compared with other modes, creative game modes can increase verbal communication. In contrast, competitive modes may stimulate more laughing together. This has important implications for game design and the use of computer games to promote social interaction between seniors and their coplayers in practice.

2022, Zahn, Carmen, Leisner, David, Niederhauser, Mario, Roos, Anna-Lena, Iseli, Tabea, Soldati, Marco

Maintaining social relationships is a basic human need and particularly essential in old age, including when living in a retirement home. Multiplayer video games can promote the establishment and maintenance of social relationships, due to facilitating positive social interactions between players, even from different generations. Such facilitation of positive social interactions depends, however, on specific game design. The present study investigates the impacts of three different game modes on social interaction in a controlled field trial. Results reveal significant differences. Important implications on game design and the use of computer games for seniors in practice are discussed.