Daredevil or socialiser? Exploring the relations between intrinsic motivation, game experience and player types in serious games with environmental narratives

Games, gamified environments and apps are celebrated as new tools to attract citizens and stakeholders for collective action and improve public participation processes. A better understanding of preferences and enjoyment and the relation of players’ motivations, (environmental) attitudes and player types could support decision making in game design. Based on empirical research, this chapter explores the relation of intrinsic motivation, environmental attitude and player types and the degree to which different forms of motivation to participate relate to those player types. Direct relations between intrinsic motivation, game enjoyment and player type classes could not be confirmed yet by the data yielded in the research, though game literature would make such links quite plausible. However, the research illustrates that serious games with environmental narratives work as entrance points to build up environmental awareness, interest and knowledge, also for citizens with initially low(er) intrinsic motivation or environmental attitude. However, a gender gap in the data reveals that women immerse themselves more strongly in the environmental, ‘green’ game narratives. Thus, serious game targeting sustainability and environmental topics might consider men as hard to reach groups, requesting particular attention during game design and game testing.