This thesis explores the contemporary world of video games and analyzes why people engage with single player and multiplayer video game experiences. Based on the uses and gratifications framework, this study examines how college students are engaging with video games and if they prefer single player or online multiplayer video games. Focus groups were conducted with college students to explore the video game culture. The results demonstrated that participants preferred single player video games due to less interruption from social interactions with online multiplayer games, but also to avoid harassment and negative criticisms that continue to plague online multiplayer experiences. Results also suggest that participants seek solitude while engaging with video games in order to become immersed within the game for a more relaxed and fun experience. Gratification dimensions were included from previous research including: arousal, challenge, competition, diversion, fantasy, and social interaction. Several new dimensions not matching previous research were discovered in the data that provided new perspectives on why players engage with single player video games. The participants discussed that single player video games could be played at their own pace, stopped at any time, and then continue their experience at their leisure. Participants were also researching and anticipating new game projects from their favorite developers. Additionally, participants suggest that if the developers made video games they enjoy playing, then the participants would continue to support and follow their future game projects.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis explores the contemporary world of video games and analyzes why people engage with single player and multiplayer video game experiences. Based on the uses and gratifications framework, this study examines how college students are engaging with video games and if they prefer single player or online multiplayer video games. Focus groups were conducted with college students to explore the video game culture. The results demonstrated that participants preferred single player video games due to less interruption from social interactions with online multiplayer games, but also to avoid harassment and negative criticisms that continue to plague online multiplayer experiences. Results also suggest that participants seek solitude while engaging with video games in order to become immersed within the game for a more relaxed and fun experience. Gratification dimensions were included from previous research including: arousal, challenge, competition, diversion, fantasy, and social interaction. Several new dimensions not matching previous research were discovered in the data that provided new perspectives on why players engage with single player video games. The participants discussed that single player video games could be played at their own pace, stopped at any time, and then continue their experience at their leisure. Participants were also researching and anticipating new game projects from their favorite developers. Additionally, participants suggest that if the developers made video games they enjoy playing, then the participants would continue to support and follow their future game projects.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Herrera, Benjamin A."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (M.A.)","degree_level":"Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted","degree_discipline":"Communication","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Marlin Bates"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:36:00Z","subjects":["Communication","Communication and the arts","Uses and gratifications","Video games"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["9781321660005"],"render_values":[{"text":"9781321660005","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/200","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Marlin Bates"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Herrera, Benjamin A."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-06-29T09:08:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (M.A.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Communication","Communication and the arts","Uses and gratifications","Video games"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["9781321660005","https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/200"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the contemporary world of video games and analyzes why people engage with single player and multiplayer video game experiences. Based on the uses and gratifications framework, this study examines how college students are engaging with video games and if they prefer single player or online multiplayer video games. Focus groups were conducted with college students to explore the video game culture. The results demonstrated that participants preferred single player video games due to less interruption from social interactions with online multiplayer games, but also to avoid harassment and negative criticisms that continue to plague online multiplayer experiences. Results also suggest that participants seek solitude while engaging with video games in order to become immersed within the game for a more relaxed and fun experience. Gratification dimensions were included from previous research including: arousal, challenge, competition, diversion, fantasy, and social interaction. Several new dimensions not matching previous research were discovered in the data that provided new perspectives on why players engage with single player video games. The participants discussed that single player video games could be played at their own pace, stopped at any time, and then continue their experience at their leisure. Participants were also researching and anticipating new game projects from their favorite developers. Additionally, participants suggest that if the developers made video games they enjoy playing, then the participants would continue to support and follow their future game projects.
"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["94"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The edge of reality: A contemporary analysis of the video game culture"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Marlin Bates"],"dc:creator":["Herrera, Benjamin A."],"dc:date.available":["2018-06-29T09:08:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis explores the contemporary world of video games and analyzes why people engage with single player and multiplayer video game experiences. Based on the uses and gratifications framework, this study examines how college students are engaging with video games and if they prefer single player or online multiplayer video games. Focus groups were conducted with college students to explore the video game culture. The results demonstrated that participants preferred single player video games due to less interruption from social interactions with online multiplayer games, but also to avoid harassment and negative criticisms that continue to plague online multiplayer experiences. Results also suggest that participants seek solitude while engaging with video games in order to become immersed within the game for a more relaxed and fun experience. Gratification dimensions were included from previous research including: arousal, challenge, competition, diversion, fantasy, and social interaction. Several new dimensions not matching previous research were discovered in the data that provided new perspectives on why players engage with single player video games. The participants discussed that single player video games could be played at their own pace, stopped at any time, and then continue their experience at their leisure. Participants were also researching and anticipating new game projects from their favorite developers. Additionally, participants suggest that if the developers made video games they enjoy playing, then the participants would continue to support and follow their future game projects.
"],"dc:identifier":["9781321660005","https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/200"],"dc:rights":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:source":["94"],"dc:subject":["Communication","Communication and the arts","Uses and gratifications","Video games"],"dc:title":["The edge of reality: A contemporary analysis of the video game culture"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (M.A.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:36:00Z"}