I’m starting this blog by describing a rating system that’s part game design and part marketing because this grid of analysis really helps me craft my overall marketing strategy with my targets and my key messages.

When you’re creating your game and thinking about “why would players play the game ?”, your logical answer should be “because it’s fun”. Because we, in the video game business, are working with the inexplicable yet universal notion of “fun”. 

You can probably describe the last time you had fun while playing, now is the time to give you the tools to understand what lies behind it thanks to the PENS (Player Experience Needs System) model.

Applied to your game development and marketing this approach will help you narrow down the key elements your game needs to deliver on to maximize the fun for your audience. 

INTRODUCTION  

This analysis is taken from the Immersyve analysis from 2004 to 2007. While created in the beginning of the always online and mobile era, I believe it’s still making a lot of sense to analyze your game through their lenses. 

PENS model is based on three intrinsic psychological needs; Competence, Autonomy and Relatedness. More about those in the dedicated articles.

Each of them expresses itself in the context of the game which can be described by 3 elements;

1. Game mechanics : Everything that let the player be in control (game controls, UI) of the basic rules that govern the game environment (gravity, happiness, money)
2. Gameplay : The core action of the player within the game world and its content
3. Player narrative : How does the player character evolve over time. 

PLAYERS EXPERIENCE NEED SYSTEM 3 FACTORS 

Competence, Autonomy and relatedness are basic human needs, they can be applied to gaming as well as real life. 

• Competence : The need behind the player’s love of conquering challenge and expressing mastery. 

We are intrinsically motivated to seek out opportunities to experience competence and the following satisfaction. No matter what you’re up to, the feeling that you’re effective motivates further actions. Opposite, the feeling that you’re ineffective or too competent decreases your motivation. 

Place it in the context of your work and you’ll easily understand what Competence is about.
Game design wise this will be aiming for a good difficulty curve that allows players to enjoy their mastery – more on this in the dedicated article (coming soon). 

• Autonomy : The need to have real and impactful choices. We feel energized and motivated when we engage in activities where we have the freedom to choose and create our own experiences.

• Relatedness : The need to care or be cared for. The desire to connect with others in a way that feels authentic and supportive. 

Immersyve has created those elements of analysis to help game developers measure in a way the fun and engagement in their game and I find it critical to create a compelling game experience. 

In marketing it will also be very useful to know how to hook players to your game promise. 

Follow up articles on Player Experience needs
Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness

Full study here