[English Abstract, German Paper] Why Do Cozy Gamers Play Video Games?
A paper by Helen Krüger. The paper is available in German, but Abstract and Author Info are printed here in English.
You can find the Abstract and Author Info for this paper in German here.
Abstract:
Cozy games have become increasingly popular in recent years, and there are now even dedicated showcases and content creators for games of this type. In order to understand this phenomenon and make the most of its market potential, players should be examined in detail.
The aim of this study was therefore to find out what motivations players of cozy games have in relation to the medium of video games. To this end, a quantitative study was conducted using a standardized online survey. 1009 participants between the ages of 14 and 61 were asked about their preferences regarding game mechanics and their usage behavior. The questions were based on theories from motivational psychology, primarily the self-determination theory of Deci and Ryan (1985), as well as research on the motivation of video game users based on this theory.
The data revealed a significant difference in terms of the motivation to use cozy games to fulfill autonomy needs, as well as a higher appreciation of immersive worlds. However, these effects were only weakly defined. No significant differences were found regarding the motivation to use games to fulfill the need for social connectedness or competence. However, preferences for collecting and crafting mechanics were noticeable, as was the fact that predominantly female respondents tended to play cozy games. These results can help game devs to better align cozy games and their marketing with the needs of the target group.
Download as German PDF: Spielmotivation von Cozy Gamer*innen – Analyse der Nutzungsmotive und Erstellung eines Spieler*innenprofils [PDF]
Über die Autorin:
Helen Krüger pursued a dual Bachelor’s degree in Media Management at the Hamburg School of Business Administration, followed by a Master’s degree in Information, Media, Library at HAW Hamburg. In 2021, she switched from the publishing industry to the games industry and consequently also focused on this medium in her Master’s thesis. Following her studies, she’s been working as a project manager in the games industry since 2023.
