Idle yet engaged: how idle games satisfy our needs for competence and autonomy
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Authors
Buergi, Justin
Issue Date
2025-07
Type
Electronic thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Critical game design
Alternative Title
Abstract
Traditional theories of player engagement emphasize the central role that challenge and overcoming failure play in sustaining interest, with research showing that gradually increasing challenges play a key role in driving engagement. However, idle games contradict this assumption by generating prolonged periods of play in the absence of mastery, challenge, or failure, thereby exposing gaps in our existing understanding of what drives player engagement. This dissertation aims to examine how idle games, despite lacking these elements traditionally considered essential for long-term engagement, satisfy psychological needs. It argues that Cognitive Evaluation Theory (CET) has been too narrow in its need-satisfaction criteria and has not considered the possibility that these needs can be satisfied not through negative feedback but rather through its absence. It then proceeds to test these claims with a longitudinal study in which participants played one of four versions of an idle game designed to manipulate competence and autonomy. This research provides the first empirical evaluation of the ability of idle games to satisfy a player's needs for competence and autonomy. In doing so, it reveals novel approaches for fostering long-term engagement without negative feedback or increasing difficulty. These findings refine our understanding of player engagement and offer broader implications for game design and gamification.
Description
July2025
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Full Citation
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY