An Empirical Framework for Understanding a Player’s Sense of Agency in Games

Abstract

This study investigates players’ sense of control over a game, referred to as the sense of agency (SoA). While prior research has addressed the importance of control in game interactions, understanding the factors that constitute players’ SoA remains limited. Using a mixed methods approach, we conducted interviews (n = 18) and surveys (n = 654) to gain qualitative and quantitative insights into this unique perceptual phenomenon. Multidimensional scaling analysis revealed a two-dimensional space comprising five clusters that shape players’ SoA. We then developed and tested a 12-item Game Sense of Agency questionnaire which, through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, measures four factors: Multisensory Presentation, Feedback Reasoning, Virtual Realism and Control Smoothness. This research identifies the multifaceted nature of players’ SoA and offers practical suggestions for how it could be measured. The outcomes contribute an empirically-driven framework for understanding and evaluating the factors that influence players’ SoA in games.

Keywords:

• Game control
• sense of agency
• user research
• user metrics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Zixuan Guo

Zixuan Guo, a doctoral student at the School of Advanced Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China. Her research interest focus on Human-Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality, and Games.

Cheng-Hung Lo

Cheng-Hung Lo is a design researcher, educator, and digital artist working in the intersections of Arts, Culture, and Technology. His major research interests are Design Visualization, Virtual Reality, User Experience-Driven Design, Cultural Heritage and Computational Arts.