Influence of social setting on player experience of digital games

Recent studies have indicated that playing games against other people is more fun and more exciting than playing alone. The current study aims to further explore the influence of social setting on player experience in digital games; in particular, it sets out to test the level of social presence of the co-player as a determinant of player experience. Dependent variables include a comprehensive self-report measure of player experience (the GEQ) and state aggression. The first results demonstrate significant differences in playing against a computer, a mediated other, or a co-located other on player experience in terms of positive affect, competence, tension and hostility