Evaluating the gameflow model with different stakeholders

Abstract

GameFlow is a widely used model of player enjoyment, with hundreds of applications to designing and evaluating games and game-like experiences since its first publication. Despite its widespread use, there has been limited evaluation of the GameFlow model and previous evaluations have focused on expert reviews from researchers with expertise in player experience. In this paper, we present a study in which 12 different stakeholders (developers, players, researchers, and journalists) conducted expert reviews on a game under development using the GameFlow criteria and provided feedback on the model. We reflect on several key points of improvement for future versions of the GameFlow model and criteria.