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Gaming companies have always pursued making games more immersive. The goal of immersing players in a game resulted in a progression in graphics technology and a move towards motion controls. The ultimate aim is to make these games as alluring as possible so the players are fully engulfed in the gaming experience.

What is Immersive Gaming?

Immersive gaming is when a video game makes a player feel fully submerged in the video game world, where they feel like they're the main character rather than someone controlling the main character. When a player feels immersed in the game, they have a better gaming experience, which leads to more sales for the gaming company. Many game genres try to make themselves more immersive to enhance the gaming experience. Players want to feel like they're performing the actions, whether they’re playing a video game, a slot game from Push Gaming Slots, or a live casino game. This feeling of agency helps immerse players in the game as they feel in control.

Why is it strong in video games?

Immersion is particularly strong in video games, especially compared to other media forms such as movies or books. But what exactly is immersion? It's defined as "a process of temporarily expanding consciousness into areas of unconsciousness," or in other words, bringing the player out of the real world and into the virtual world.

The agency that video games give players is a big factor in why they can do this so successfully. You aren't watching someone else make decisions; you're actively making those decisions. Not only are you making the decisions, but you can also see how those actions affect the world around you. The best immersive games will give each player a unique experience, as their social interaction with the game personalises the world they're playing, further enhancing their immersion.

Elements that affect immersion in gaming

For video game developers, three key areas can make or break the immersion in their game.

Rewards

Rewards are essential as you want to make your player feel like they're accomplishing something as they advance through the game. If the game is not adequately paced with sufficient rewards to make the player feel like they're progressing, they won't feel immersed.

Clear Objectives

The player needs to feel like they're working towards a goal; otherwise, they'll likely get distracted or lose interest in the overarching story. In open-world games, this is particularly important as it gives players a structure to follow and a clear path of progression, which helps immerse them in the story.

Player has majority control

To be truly immersed in a game, players need to feel like they're in control of what's happening. While some aspects can be designed to happen a certain way for story purposes, as much control as possible should be given to the player. This helps to personalise the world and create a unique environment that the player forms.

Conclusion

Video games are arguably the best form of media for people looking for an immersive experience. The control that they give their players helps shape a truly unique world that's easy to get lost in. The steady stream of rewards and clear objectives add further levels of immersion that aren't possible in other forms of media.