BOARD GAME
MOTIVATION MODEL
OVERVIEW OF METHODS AND MODEL
WE COMBINED PSYCHOMETRIC METHODS AND A WEB APP TO
COLLECT MOTIVATION DATA FROM OVER 90,000 BOARD GAMERS
Scale Development Online Profile Tool Our Data Set
We first used established We created an online app where Using our online app, we have
psychometric techniques and data board gamers could fill out a 5- collected the demographic and
from 5,000 board gamers to identify minute survey and receive a motivation data from > 90,000 board
key gaming motivations and create personalized report of their gaming gamers worldwide along with their
an assessment tool. motivations that they can then favorite genres and game titles.
share on social media.
Our Expertise in Gamer Motivation Research
For over a decade, Nick Yee and Nic Ducheneaut have been studying the motivations and behavior of gamers. They have over 40 peer-
reviewed papers on gaming. Nick Yee’s paper on the motivations of online gamers has been cited over 1,700 times.
BOARD GAME MOTIVATION MODEL
Conflict Immersion Strategy Social Fun
Hostile Interactions. Elaborate Lore & Characters. Thinking. Planning. Lighthearted Fun. Laughter.
High Conflict Mechanics. Immersed in Other World. Skill-Based. Complex Rules. Chat. Social Interaction.
Social Manipulation Aesthetics Systems Discovery Cooperation
Deception. Bluffing. Beautiful Artwork. Learn New & Innovative Being on a Team.
Persuasion. Negotiation. Components Reflect Theme. Game Systems / Mechanics. Working on Common goal.
Need To Win Chance
Winning. Card-Drawing. Dice-Rolling.
Trouncing Other Players. Luck Mechanics.
Accessibility
Game is Easy to Learn.
Accessible to Newcomers.
CONFLICT CLUSTER
Conflict Social Manipulation
Gamers with high Conflict scores tend be more Gamers who score high on Social Manipulation
competitive and enjoy games where players enjoy playing psychological mind games, where
can take hostile actions directly against each outcomes aren’t determined by dice or
other. This could be stealing another player’s rulebooks, but instead by their ability to bluff,
resources, forcing them to discard, blocking deceive, and persuade other players. The social
their move, or directly attacking and destroying arena of trust and negotiation is their favored
their units/buildings. Confrontational battleground. They enjoy games where they
mechanics often create more tense and have to convince other players of something
dynamic gameplay because the stakes are (especially if it’s a lie). Sure, sometimes their
higher and no outcome is certain until all the friends may hate them when the game ends,
actions resolve. When you play the game of but what good are friends that you can’t lie to
thrones, you win or you die; there is no middle from time to time?
ground.
On the other hand, gamers who score low on
Conversely, players who score low on Conflict Social Manipulation prefer more transparent
prefer games that minimize direct and hostile and concrete gameplay mechanics where
confrontations (which high Conflict gamers may deception doesn’t play a role.
perceive as being boring “walled off” gardens).
STRATEGY CLUSTER
Strategy Discovery
Gamers with high Strategy scores enjoy taking Gamers who score high on this motivation are
on cognitive challenges. For them, games are a discoverers who have a broad interest in
way to hone and test their intellectual abilities. rulesets, game mechanics, and the play spaces
Thus, they prefer games that require a lot of that are enabled and emerge from different
thinking and planning, reward sound decisions, game systems. To this end, they enjoy keeping
and where strategic mastery and skill (rather up with new game releases and staying up to
than luck) are the primary determinants of the date with the current meta. They take the time
game’s outcome. They enjoy complexity, to find out about and try new game mechanics.
whether this comes from an intricate ruleset or As part of this, they also tend to have a good
overlapping mechanics that have short and long sense of the history and idiosyncrasies of
term trade-offs. They prefer slower paced different game designers and publishers. While
games that give them the time to ponder their they tend to have a more eclectic palette, they
moves, where elaborate strategies can be do have a preference for more innovative game
planned and executed. mechanics.
Gamers who score low on Strategy want a Gamers who score low on Discovery prefer
more relaxed gameplay experience where more traditional, familiar, tried-and-true game
decisions don’t have much long-term impact. mechanics.
STRATEGY CLUSTER (CONTINUED)
Need To Win
Gamers who score high on this motivation care
a lot about winning, and are especially happy
when the margin of victory is overwhelming.
They enjoy soundly beating an opponent. For
them, games are a means to an end (preferably
a victorious one), and winning is the most
important part of the game. Gamers who score
high on Need To Win prefer games where
winners can completely dominate their
opponents.
Gamers who score low on Need To Win don’t
care about the game’s outcome, but focus
instead on the journey of playing the game. To
this end, they prefer games that aren’t zero-
sum between opponents, whether they are
collaborative or solitaire.
IMMERSION CLUSTER
Immersion Aesthetics
Gamers who have high Immersion scores enjoy Gamers who score high on Aesthetics like high-
taking on a role in a believable alternate world, quality components that strongly reflect the
with its own lore, history, culture, and cast of theme and setting of the game. For them,
interesting characters. Being able to choose or amazing artwork and beautiful component
customize their starting character/city illustrations are particularly important. They
enhances this sense of taking on a role in enjoy tactile components that capture,
another world. They like the implicit narrative enhance, and represent the fantasy world
of being part of an unfolding story as they play created by the game, such as well-sculpted
the game: to them, the game is a fantasy world miniatures that represent the game’s characters
that comes alive as it is played. or buildings.
Conversely, players who score low on Gamers who score low on Aesthetics care very
Immersion want to focus on the game little about the artwork and production value of
mechanics and don’t like it when the theme the game. They focus on the game play and
gets too heavy or intrusive. mechanics instead and are perfectly happy with
abstract components.
7
SOCIAL FUN CLUSTER
Social Fun Cooperation
For gamers who score high on Social Fun, Gamers who score high on Cooperation enjoy
playing board games is first and foremost about board games where they can work with others
having a good time with other people. The players towards a common goal. They would
board game itself is simply a convenient prop rather team up with other players instead of
around which friends and family can gather and beating them up. This aligns with Social Fun
have fun together. They enjoy the chatting, the because it’s easier to have a good time when
social interaction, and especially the shared people aren’t focused on attacking each other
laughter and funny interactions that games or focused on individual victories.
(especially party games) can elicit. For them,
board games are a great catalyst for a fun social In contrast, gamers who score low on
gathering. Cooperation prefer games that focus on
individual decisions, achievements, and
Gamers who score low on Social Fun prefer outcomes.
games that don’t encourage or reward
“extraneous” social interactions and set a more
serious tone around the game.
SOCIAL FUN CLUSTER (CONTINUED)
Chance Accessibility
Gamers who score high on Chance enjoy luck Gamers who score high on Accessibility prefer
elements in their board games, usually in the games that a broad range of people can pick up
form of card drawing or dice rolling mechanics. and enjoy. After all, if you like playing board
These gamers enjoy chance mechanics that games with other people, then it’s helpful to
impact their opportunity space (e.g., drawing have games that a lot of people can get into.
your starting hand in Agricola) as well as those Thus, these players favor games that are easy
that determine action outcomes (e.g., rolling to teach, easy to learn, and accessible even to
dice to determine whether an attack was people with very little board gaming
successful). The appeal of Chance and Social experience. And if they enjoy board games as
Fun go together because chance elements part of family gatherings, then family-friendly
often lower the entry barrier to a game, level themes are also a plus.
the playing field somewhat between novices
and veterans, and create unexpected and In contrast, gamers who score low on
entertaining outcomes thereby increasing the Accessibility appreciate games with lots of
likelihood that everyone is having fun. weight and complexity. If they had monocles,
they would hold them up while looking down
Gamers who score low on Chance prefer clear on the unwashed noobs.
and concrete outcomes to their actions with
luck playing a minimal role.
BOARD GAME EXAMPLES
To make it easier to understand the
motivations, we used our large data set to
identify the games with the highest and
lowest scores for each motivation.
The examples in the following slides are
intended to provide concrete game titles
for each motivation, and to make it easier
to compare what scoring high vs. low on
each motivation means.
CONFLICT
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Here I Stand Amerigo
Diplomacy Finca
Virgin Queen At the Gates of Loyang
Runewars Signorie
Rex: Final Days of an Empire Hawaii
Forbidden Stars Ginkgopolis
The Republic of Rome Rococo
Fief: France 1429 Steam Time
A Game of Thrones (First Edition) Apples to Apples
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second
Marrying Mr. Darcy
Edition)
SOCIAL MANIPULATION
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Ultimate Werewolf: Deluxe Edition ZhanGuo
Diplomacy Snowdonia
Mafia de Cuba Ginkgopolis
One Night Ultimate Vampire Discoveries
The Resistance: Avalon Macao
Nothing Personal Hawaii
Mafia Signorie
The Resistance Galaxy Defenders
Chinatown Madeira
Sheriff of Nottingham Steam Time
STRATEGY
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Roads & Boats Taboo
Arkwright Scattergories
Paths of Glory Pictionary
1830: Railways & Robber Barons Telestrations After Dark
Madeira Cranium
Family Game Night Book and Game Set:
Kanban: Automotive Revolution
Scrabble, Clue, Sorry, Yahtzee
Antiquity Trivial Pursuit
Indonesia Apples to Apples
Ora et Labora UNO
Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game Roll For It!
DISCOVERY
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Cry Havoc Taboo
Gold West Balderdash
Guilds of London Yahtzee
Akrotiri Articulate!
51st State: Master Set Trivial Pursuit
Nippon Boggle
Carson City: Big Box Apples to Apples
Kanban: Automotive Revolution Pictionary
Islebound Scattergories
The Prodigals Club Cranium
NEED TO WIN
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
3D Risk Fiasco
Stratego Dungeon!
Puerto Rico: Limited Anniversary Edition Dawn of the Zeds
A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Onirim
Axis & Allies: 1942 Defenders of the Realm
Diplomacy The Ravens of Thri Sahashri
Chess Shadows of Brimstone: Swamps of Death
Age of Renaissance Rick and Morty: Total Rickall Card Game
Monopoly Hostage Negotiator
Titan Tides of Time
IMMERSION
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Indonesia
Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game Roads & Boats
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Container
Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower Chicago Express
Kings of War Navegador
Mansions of Madness Goa
Wiz-War Qwixx
Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients Age of Steam
Lord of the Rings Ginkgopolis
Pathfinder Ra
AESTHETICS
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Rick and Morty: Total Rickall Card Game Chicago Express
Rum & Bones 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
Wiz-War Roads & Boats
Saloon Tycoon Mafia
Tokaido Deluxe Edition Indonesia
Catan Histories: Settlers of America – Trails to
City of Iron: Second Edition
Rails
Lord of the Rings: The Adventure Deck Game Iron Dragon
Camp Grizzly Eurorails
Super Dungeon Explore Age of Steam
Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Scattergories
SOCIAL FUN
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Quelf Roads & Boats
Telestrations After Dark Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001 – ?
Monikers Paths of Glory
Cranium Indonesia
Telestrations: 12 Player Party Pack Ora et Labora
Taboo 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
Time's Up! Age of Steam
A Fake Artist Goes to New York Steam
Munchkin Zombies ZhanGuo
Balderdash Arkwright
COOPERATION
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Lord of the Rings Roads & Boats
Dungeon Fighter Chicago Express
Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil
Hawaii
Board Game
Burgle Bros. Indonesia
Shadowrun: Crossfire Signorie
Galaxy Defenders 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
Camp Grizzly Age of Steam
Gears of War: The Board Game Navegador
Forbidden Desert Macao
Zombicide Season 2: Prison Outbreak Steam
CHANCE
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Camp Grizzly Indonesia
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Arkwright
Roll For It! Antiquity
Marvel Dice Masters: Avengers vs. X-Men 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
Resident Evil Deck Building Game Myrmes
Zombie Dice Imperial
Quarriors! Madeira
Firefly Fluxx Nippon
Flux Goa
Pirate Fluxx Caylus
ACCESSIBILITY
Games w/ Highest Scores Games w/ Lowest Scores
Sorry! Roads & Boats
UNO Indonesia
Cranium 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
Family Game Night Book and Game Set:
Antiquity
Scrabble, Clue, Sorry, Yahtzee
Pictionary Pax Porfiriana
Apples to Apples Fire in the Lake
Zombie Fluxx Age of Steam
Taboo Madeira
Wits & Wagers Falling Sky: The Gallic Revolt Against Caesar
Scattergories High Frontier