Can You Pet the Dog? : Exploring the experiential impact of sociable animal interaction in games

Abstract: The feature to “pet” animals in digital games is highly requested by players in online discourse, but there is a lack of research on its utility from a game design perspective. This thesis aims to gain a preliminary understanding of the effects of optional, sociable animal interaction to further inform game design decisions. Using a qualitative mixed methods research design, the possible impacts of sociable virtual animal interactions on the player experience are investigated. Five game-literate participants were observed during gameplay, which included an interactable virtual dog, and interviewed in-depth on their subjective experiences. The findings suggest that the interaction can be moderately beneficial to the player experience, but that it was also found lacking. The feature can offer a break from goal-oriented gameplay and improve players’ sense of agency. It may enhance the emotional value if the player feels a connection to the virtual animal. More life-like behavior and greater gameplay value might enable this connection, thereby making the interaction more desirable and beneficial to the player experience.