Flow based assessment of the onboarding phase in F2P mobile games
Author
Lind, Cathja Windbæk
Term
4. term
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-05-31
Pages
134
Abstract
Mobilspilsindustrien er vokset markant og domineres af free-to-play (F2P)-modellen, hvor indtægter afhænger af, at spillere bliver i spillet. Denne afhandling undersøger onboarding-fasen – de første minutter af spiloplevelsen – fordi den er central for fastholdelse. Målet er at vurdere, hvordan designet af onboarding-fasen i tre F2P-mobilspil (Candy Crush Jelly Saga, WinterForts og PogoChick) påvirker spillerens oplevelse og lyst til at fortsætte, med særligt fokus på flowteori. Studiet anvender en blandet metode-tilgang med et within-subjects-eksperiment: 26 deltagere gennemførte 78 spilsessioner, hvor data blev indsamlet via spørgeskemaer og interviews og analyseret med statistiske metoder og åben kodning. Resultaterne viser, at flow allerede opstår i onboarding-fasen i alle tre spil, og at Candy Crush Jelly Saga havde flest flow-forekomster. Der blev desuden fundet en sammenhæng mellem flow og deltagernes lyst til at spille videre. På den baggrund formuleres ni anbefalinger til design eller redesign af onboarding-faser i F2P-mobilspil. Studiet bidrager til mobile games user research (mGUR) ved at anvende og tilpasse metoder fra HCI og GUR til mobilkonteksten og giver praktiske retningslinjer for at styrke tidlige spiloplevelser.
The mobile games industry has grown rapidly and is dominated by the free-to-play (F2P) model, where revenue depends on keeping players engaged. This thesis examines the onboarding phase—the first minutes of play—because it is critical for retention. The aim is to assess how the design of onboarding in three F2P mobile games (Candy Crush Jelly Saga, WinterForts, and PogoChick) shapes player experience and willingness to continue, with a specific focus on flow theory. Using a mixed-methods, within-subjects design, 26 participants completed 78 play sessions; data were collected through questionnaires and interviews and analyzed with statistical techniques and open coding. Findings indicate that flow emerges during onboarding in all three games, with Candy Crush Jelly Saga showing the most flow occurrences, and that flow is linked to players’ desire to keep playing. Based on these results, nine recommendations are proposed to inform the design or redesign of onboarding phases in F2P mobile games. The study contributes to mobile games user research (mGUR) by adapting HCI and GUR methods to the mobile context and offering practical guidance for improving early gameplay experiences.
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