The Joy of Exploration: A Qualitative Study of Temporal Changes in Player Experiences

Abstract

While literature has indicated temporal shifts in gameplay engagement, few studies examine how exploration pleasures evolve in open-world games, particularly the impact of familiarity on exploring and the role of nostalgia for first discoveries. This qualitative study explored changes in exploration joy over time, familiarity's transformative effects, and strategies to recapture first-discovery emotions, including "exploration nostalgia" wherein players seek to relive the emotional intensity of their initial discoveries. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 16 experienced players (Mean age=26.8 years; mean hours in game=182) of open-world games (Elden Ring, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Valheim, among others) revealed six themes: Initial Novelty Thrill, Sadness of Losing Novelty, Factors Affecting Exploration, Factors reducing Joy of Exploration, Nostalgia Triggers, and Strategies for Recapturing Exploration Nostalgia. Findings deepen understanding of gameplay behaviour from exploration excitement to nostalgia, advancing game research by pioneering insights into players deriving enjoyment from evolving exploration behaviours.