Human-Environment Relationships in Alba: A Typological Analysis of Player Engagement in Steam Reviews

Chien Lu, Giacomo Lauritano, Timo Nummenmaa, Jaakko Peltonen

Abstract: This paper focuses on the player experiences of the game Alba: A Wild Life Adventure. We analyze players’ reviews of the game and their profiles in an integrated way to investigate opportunities of using digital games to engage players in the issue of human-environment relationship. The analytical results indicate the players reflect on environmental issues in their reviews. Our findings yield implications on several issues including 1) the importance of immersive design and narrative in terms of engaging players; 2) instead of classifying a game as “serious” or “entertainment” based on the intentions behind the game development, more emphasis should be puton the player’s experiences; and 3) the role of video games in parenting.