Richard Bartle, a professor and game researcher in the multi-player online game industry, has broken down player motivation into four categories in the Bartle Test of Psychology. These include achievers, explorers, socializers and killers. The theory is that most video gamers fall into one of these categories. Through careful player research using Bartle’s model, you can understand which types of players dominate the environment and cater your own play to accommodate for this. However, this tool can also be helpful for anyone struggling with video game addiction to understand their motivation and find other outlets.
The Four Categories of Player Motivation Under Bartle’s Model
The achiever is all about points and status. They collect badges and are quick to share with friends how they are progressing in the game. According to Bartle, the achiever makes up approximately 10% of all players. The explorer is looking to see new things and uncover new secrets. They are not motivated by prizes, but the discovery of the prize is their motivating factor. Approximately 10% of players fall into this category. The socializer makes up the majority of game players, with approximately 80% of gamers falling into this characterization. Socializers are interested in playing the game primarily because of the interaction with others. They are willing collaborators and are focused on building relationships with other gamers. The last category, killers, are similar to achievers. They are focused on gaming points and status, but what sets them apart is that they enjoy watching others lose.
These categories are not necessarily rigid, with many players showing traits belonging to multiple categories. However, in most cases there is a dominant trait for each player’s motivation that will allow you to primarily categorize them.
Understanding the Motivation to Play Can Help with Video Game Addiction
Bartle’s Model of Player Motivation can be an excellent tool for those struggling with video game addiction. Understanding the motivation for gamers can help the person addicted to find other outlets and work towards curbing this addiction. For example, achievers and killers can work towards finding other rewarding aspects of life that can give them the same self-satisfaction that they experience through video games. Explorers can find another outlet for the challenges that they seek. When you recognize yourself falling into the socializer category but experiencing a video game addiction, finding other ways to spend time with others can go a long way to curbing this addiction.
Finding Help with a Video Game Addiction
If you find that your need to play video games has gotten in the way of other responsibilities in life, this has likely moved to the level of an addiction. Once you have recognized that you have a video game addiction, with the driving force to play interfering with everyday life, you can focus on finding other outlets for what you need. Through Bartle’s Model, players can recognize their motivation and find other sources to meet these needs. Whether on your own or with a trained addiction therapist, understanding the motivation behind a video game addiction is a great first step to redirecting your video game addiction to other sources.
