Player experiences in the game Coridden : A case study examining the intended and perceived player experiences in a co-op action RPG game

Video games can both be described as a form of art and as digital products. Video games therefore allow for rich interactions and are regarded as more emotional than software and more interactive than films. Due to the nature of video games, the term user experience (UX) which is commonly used for traditional digital products could be argued to be insufficient. Instead, player experience (PX) should be used when describing players’ rich experiences with video games. This case study aims to use the video game Coridden to examine what players experience when playing a co-op action RPG game. Also, this study aims to examine what the intended player experiences are for Coridden from the game developers’ point of view. Lastly, by examining both the perceived and intended player experiences, this study examines how the experiences can be aligned and how they can be used as guidelines during the design and development process. This was done by using a theoretical framework consisting of the difference between usability, user experience and player experience, the social aspect of playing, and how player experiences can be used as design guidelines. Players playtested Coridden and participated in focus groups using product reaction cards to express their experiences. A focus group with product reaction cards were also used for the developersof the game. Using a thematic and a document analysis, along with the results from the product reaction cards, the study highlighted that players and developers had several perceived and intended player experiences. Further discussion highlighted that some of the players’ and developers’ perceived and intended experiences align, which could be used as future guidelines in the design and development process of Coridden.