Motivational Landscapes of ARG Players: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

This study applies Self-Determination Theory to build an academic taxonomy of Alternate Reality Game (ARG) players, addressing a gap in prior player typologies that rest largely on observation rather than theory. Drawing on a self-designed ARG run in China in April 2023, the research combines a survey of 61 respondents, sentiment analysis of roughly 1,400 cleaned WeChat chat messages from 287 chat group members, and interviews with three designers. Its central aim is to identify player types, their distribution, and the factors that shape how players are classified.

Survey results indicate that most players scored positively on autonomy, competence, and relatedness, the three core psychological needs in Self-Determination Theory. Significant correlations emerged between prior experience and motivational profile: puzzle-game experience was associated with autonomy (p = .005), and prior ARG engagement with relatedness (p = .029). Message analysis showed discussion activity clustering around clue discoveries and puzzle solutions across a game lasting approximately 30 hours, with sentiment remaining generally positive and consistent across two groups. Sentiment dipped during periods of stalled progress and recovered when new clues appeared.

The player population was dominated by Socializers, who made up 88.5 percent of survey respondents. The gamer-to-participant ratio exceeded 0.146, consistent with earlier ARG research. The authors position these results as evidence that prior gaming experience shapes which motivational needs drive engagement.

The study's scope is limited to a single China-based ARG and a small sample, and it captures lurkers and passive participants poorly. These constraints restrict generalizability, though the findings offer a theory-grounded foundation for future ARG player classification across broader cultural and design contexts.