Gamer Motivation Profile: Version Notes

v 2.2 (January 16th, 2016)

  • We’ve adjusted the norms for all the motivations based on our current data from over 140,000 gamers. The previous norms were based on a sample of 30,000 gamers (v 2.0). This adjustment will result in minor shifts in the percentile scores on some motivations:
    • The Completion & Power scores should shift higher, and thus the Achievement score should shift higher as well.
    • The Destruction score should shift lower, and thus the Action score might shift lower as well.
    • The Challenge score should shift higher, and thus the Mastery score might shift higher as well.
    • All other scores should remain largely unchanged.

v 2.1 (August 11th, 2015)

  • Based on data from over 100,000 gamers who have taken the Gamer Motivation Profile, we’ve added the most popular games mentioned by gamers for each of the gaming motivations. These are provided in toggled “Show Popular Games” sections in the respective motivation clusters.

v 2.0 (July 20th, 2015)

Version 2.0 Launch.

  • We’ve updated the underlying model and math based on the 30,000 responses we received from v1.0. The large sample across many different geographic regions allowed us to powerfully validate and refine the model.
  • The following factors have been renamed based on user feedback:
    • “Strategy” -> “Mastery” (“Strategy” was too narrow a label for this cluster.)
    • “Planning” -> “Strategy” (“Strategy” more appropriate for lower-level factor.)
    • “Mastery -> “Challenge”
    • “Customization” -> “Design” (Replaced with a broader conceptual term.)
  • The Discovery factor has been added. Together with the Design factor, they now form the Creativity cluster. The radar graph, textual markers, and textual descriptions have all been updated to reflect this change.
  • Added ability to export dynamic radar graph as png/jpg.

v 1.1 (June 24th, 2015)

  • Some confusion reported by gamers who have divergence in underlying components. E.g., gamers who score high on Planning, but low on Mastery, and thus end up with average score on Strategy. We’ve decided to surface this underlying divergence in the game style descriptors. So if a divergence is found, we provide a game style descriptor. In this case, instead of having no marker for Strategy, we insert “Analytical” from the Planning factor. Similar divergent descriptors have been included for all the factors.
  • Added a link to these version notes from the profile tools landing page.

v 1.0 (June 22nd, 2015)

Public release version.

  • Norms revised with sample of 600 gamers from a general gamer panel.
  • Textual descriptions revised to include pertinent gaming examples for all underlying factors. Gaming examples revised based on beta test feedback.
  • “More Information” textual toggles included to simplify the layout and allow users to choose level of detail.
  • Some factor labels and play style markers changed based on beta test feedback. E.g., Casual -> Relaxed.

Beta (May 6th, 2015)

Beta version of the profile tool. Model and norms based on sample of 1,127 MMO gamers.