Deceptive Patterns
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Computer-based Deceptive Game Design in Commercial Virtual Reality Games: A Preliminary Investigation

Author
Hilda Hadan, Leah Zhang-Kennedy, L. Nacke
Date
14 Oct 2024
Publisher
ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play
Focus
Addiction & Gaming
Category
Academic Scholar

An autoethnography study and a VR Deceptive Game Design Assessment Guide based on a critical literature review are conducted that sheds light on the presence and effects of manipulative design techniques in commercial VR games compared to a traditional computer game.

As Virtual Reality (VR) games become more popular, it is crucial to understand how deceptive game design patterns manifest and impact player experiences in this emerging medium. Our study sheds light on the presence and effects of manipulative design techniques in commercial VR games compared to a traditional computer game. We conducted an autoethnography study and developed a VR Deceptive Game Design Assessment Guide based on a critical literature review. Using our guide, we compared how deceptive patterns in a popular computer game are different from two commercial VR titles. While VR’s technological constraints, such as battery life and limited temporal manipulation, VR’s unique sensory immersion amplified the impact of emotional and sensory deception.