Go with the flow: The experience and affective outcomes of solo versus social gameplay

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which there are differences in flow experiences and post-gameplay mood states (positive and negative) in solo compared with social digital gaming. This was achieved by obtaining gamers’ (N = 302) retrospective ratings of the experience of flow and post-gameplay mood based on recent solo and social gaming experiences, through the use of an online questionnaire. Positive mood was found to be significantly higher following social (e.g., playing with other players) compared with solo gameplay, suggesting that playing games with others enhances enjoyment of the activity. Different levels of flow in gameplay were also found to be related to positive mood following both solo and social gameplay. There were no observed differences in experiences of flow and post-gameplay mood between online and offline, or competitive and cooperative gaming contexts. The findings suggest that ‘group flow’ may be a useful concept in understanding the dynamics of social gaming as this has not been sufficiently examined in the current digital gaming literature.