LOCO-Motive (Point & Click Game) Out NOW!

Posted on 11/21/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

All aboard the Reuss Express for a murder mystery!

London, UK – November 21st 2024. Today, developer Robust Games and publisher Chucklefish release their point-and-click comedy adventure Loco Motive on PC and Nintendo Switch! ✨

Early birds will also be able to pick up the game for 10% off across all platforms until November 27th.

YouTube Video.

An eccentric heiress has been murdered aboard the Reuss Express, and you’re the main suspects! Cut down in her prime at the tender age of 89 years old, Lady Unterwald of the Wald-Bahn Rail Company leaves behind a legacy, an empire and a whole lot of questions…

Loco Motive tasks players with proving their innocence after the untimely murder of Lady Unterwald aboard her very own Reuss Express. Using the distinctive talents of a strait-laced lawyer, a novelist-turned-amateur-detective, and an undercover agent as they attempt to absolve themselves.

Along the way, players will encounter a fully voiced cast of eccentric and memorable characters, solve satisfyingly challenging puzzles, and piece together clues to prove their innocence. Enact justice and uncover the culprit!

What’s more, when players get stuck, they can always give the Dirk Chiselton Hotline a call ☎️ Loco Motive features its own in-game tips hotline, gently guiding players towards solutions without any unwanted spoilers. Ring-a-ding-ding!

“We’re thrilled to get Loco Motive into the hands of players!” said Adam Riches, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Robust Games. “From the humble origins of a simple game jam to a fully fledged adventure in its own right, the last few years have been a whirlwind” 
“My brother and I always wanted to create something together, and we’re very grateful to have had that opportunity” said Joseph Riches, Technical Director and Co-Founder of Robust Games. “There was an unrelenting drive to make Loco Motive happen, and it’s our hope that players will see our passion and love for the genre reflected in this game.”

Loco Motive Features:

  • A comedy adventure that hits like smooth jazz, set onboard a 1930s express train.
  • Take control of three playable characters, in an interlinking comedic adventure.
  • Uncovering a deadly mystery, full of twists, turns and sharp wit!
  • Meet a train-full of quirky and somewhat suspicious fellow passengers. 
  • Stop at nothing to solve item-based puzzles, that won’t leave your head scratching for hours.
  • Beautifully detailed pixel art bursting with charm and character.
  • A little nudge in the right direction when needed. Telephone for assistance with an in-game hint call-line!
  • Full Voice Acting with an all-star cast
  • Steam Deck verified

Loco Motive is available in English and German on PC and Nintendo Switch for £14.99/ $17.99/ €17.99. 

Follow Loco Motive over on Twitter. Want to follow Chucklefish too? You’ll find them on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Phew!

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Art of Futurama Book Out November 2025

Posted on 11/06/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Abrams ComicArts Celebrates 25 Years of the Emmy Award-Winning Series Futurama with The Art of Futurama by Simpsons Creator Matt Groening

Featuring Never-Before-Seen Concept Art, Sketches, Developmental Work, Episode Guide, and an All-New Preface by Matt Groening, an Introduction by Showrunner David X. Cohen, and a Forward by Producer Claudia Katz

November 6, 2024 – 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Simpsons creator Matt Groening’s Emmy Award–winning  television series, Futurama. Now, Abrams ComicArts, a division of ABRAMS, will publish The Art of Futurama, the first-ever art book to delve into the development and history of the series. This deluxe, 176-page hardcover art book features commentary from Groening, showrunner David X. Cohen, and producer Claudia Katz, as well as from the show’s writers, animators, and voice actors.

Beginning in 1999, Futurama ran for four seasons on Fox, where it earned a devoted and passionate fanbase. In 2009, Futurama returned for three more seasons before it was canceled in 2013. Hulu revived the series again in 2022 for its eight season, and additional seasons have been greenlit. The show has won six Emmys and nine Annie awards and inspired numerous comic books and games. TV Guide named Futurama one of the Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time. 

This first and only Futurama art book examines the first seven seasons of the series, which first aired on Fox beginning in 1999. Readers of The Art of Futurama can dive into the development and visual history of all 150 episodes, including brand-new content, never-before-seen concept art, sketches, developmental work, and a complete episode guide.

“When the show premiered on March 28, 1999, it was heralded as one of the best-looking shows on television,” writes Claudia Katz in her forward. “This book is a tribute to all the talented artists who helped mold, build, and shape the beautiful, stunning, epic and (twenty-five years later) ever-expanding Futurama Universe.”

The series follows Philip J. Fry (voiced by Billy West), a slacker who was cryogenically frozen for 1,000 years. He wakes in 30th century New York and begins working as an interplanetary delivery man alongside his boss, the mad scientist Professor Farnsworth(John DiMaggio), his one-eyed girlfriend Turanga Leela (Katy Sagal), and his robot best friend Bender (DiMaggio).

“Abrams has a long history with Matt Groening and books on The Simpsons,” said Abrams ComicArts Editor-in-Chief Charles Kochman. “We are honored to expand our publishing to include The Art of Futurama, working closely with Matt and his team on this comprehensive and definitive visual history, one that is a must-have for any animation, television, or sci-fi fan.” 

The Art of Futurama by Matt Groening will be available in bookstores on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, and in comic book shops on November 13, 2024.

About the Book

THE ART OF FUTURAMA

A VISUAL HISTORY OF MATT GROENING’S CULT CLASSIC ANIMATED SERIES

By Matt Groening

Introduction by David X. Cohen

Foreword by Claudia Katz

Abrams ComicArts | November 12, 2024

U.S. $35.00 | CAN $44.00 | U.K. £25.00

Hardcover with acetate jacket | 176 pages w/ 3 gatefolds

11-3⁄8″ x 9-3⁄8″ | Full-color illustrations throughout

ISBN: 978-1-4197-7350-1

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NYCC 2024: Zero Day Preamble

Posted on 10/16/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

This year we will be attending New York Comic Con again. We last attended in 2022 after a long time away from the show. In 2023 we made our own NYCC outside the convention center via some exciting activation events and sponsored parties from Audible, Scholastic, Pac-Man and Squanch Games. The 2022 show caught our attention via activation announcements on the show floor for Disney Parks, the TITANS TV show, Amazon Prime and more, the same happened this year. When major experiences from HBO and Paramount were presented we leaped to grab whatever tickets were still available. We weren’t concerned about panels or guests, as for us its the amusement park like show floor that comes first, but one with things that interest us and that we have some knowledge of going in.

The Spongebob Squarepants experience as well as the DEXTER Kill Room are both high on things to see at the NYCC but equally the just announced experience for HBO’s Creature Commandos as well as the the photo-op for The Franchise. Marvel’s booth will have excellent costumes on display from Daredevil: Born Again as well which should be very cool to see in person. The Tokyo Games Show had amazing experience and photo-op for Little Nightmares III from Bandai Namco and hopefully it’ll be at least half as amazing as that, the Javits has the space.

That isn’t to say panels don’t interest. The return of Phineas and Ferb, panels on video games such as Funko Fusion and Life is Strange: Double Exposure, an appearance and panel from Alex Hirsch on The Book of Bill. That’s just a small sampling and just from Thursday and Friday.

On top of panels and activations though of course are the opportunity to meet and greet some of your favorite writers and artists. For me personally it’ll be getting to say hello to old friends like Rick Parker, Dean Haspiel and many more.

The book booths are also super important since the end of Book Expo America and Book Con as well as changes to the US Book Show, there are very few opportunities in person to learn of books in NYC direct from publishers.

The main things to remember about NYCC is there are many things to love. Many of these things will have signings and panels that overlap. You won’t be able to enjoy everything, so relax, be calm, chillax effectively. Keep your hygiene up, both your body and your attitude. There will be tons of clashing attitudes, people will block aisles to do cosplay photos, they aren’t trying to be jerks. Everyone has a different convention but the main thing you can do is enjoy what you can and not be upset by what you can’t. There is enough convention for everyone and everything. You should walk in and walk out happy to have been around films, TV, comics, video games, art and more and have something new and experiences to remember.

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RONIN (Frank Miller) Sequel

Posted on 10/07/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Frank Miller Presents and Abrams ComicArts To Publish RONIN RISING, The Long-Awaited Sequel to the Award-Winning Classic RONIN by Frank Miller. Available As Both A Hardcover Collector’s Edition and a Manga Edition This October

(October 7, 2024) A cursed Ronin. Psychological manipulation by a sentient AI. A security commander turned savior. And a postapocalyptic biotech war in the demon-teeming pits of a twenty-first century New York. This is the world of Frank Miller’s Ronin Rising, the highly anticipated sequel to the influential cyberpunk comics classic by the legendary Eisner Hall of Fame cartoonist. On October 8th, 2024, Frank Miller Presents and Abrams ComicArts will publish Frank Miller’s Ronin Rising in two stunning editions: a hardcover Collector’s Edition and a paperback manga edition from Kana, Abrams ComicArts’s new manga imprint. 

Frank Miller’s Ronin Rising is written by Frank Miller who provides both the cover and two chapters of interior art. He is joined by artists Philip Tan and Daniel Henriques who provide pencils and inks for chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5. The book includes Miller’s layouts, concept designs by Tan, six full-page wraparound variant covers, and a foreword by DC Comics Publisher Jim Lee. 

In his foreword Lee writes, “Four decades ago, a work emerged that would redefine the boundaries of the comic book medium. Frank Miller’s Ronin burst forth from the pages of DC Comics, a visionary masterpiece that dared to challenge convention and ignite the imaginations of readers worldwide. Ronin stands as a testament to the boundless creativity and unbridled ambition of its creator… As we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Ronin, let us not only pay tribute to its singular brilliance but also reaffirm our commitment to the limitless potential of the comic book medium. At the time, although Miller was at the peak of his creative and commercial powers (and soon to climb even higher with his seminal work to come in Batman), he fearlessly took the opportunity—with great risk—to do something completely unexpected and original. So let us raise our voices in celebration of Frank Miller’s Ronin, a true masterpiece of the graphic storytelling tradition. May its legacy endure for another four decades and beyond, inspiring countless generations to dare, to dream, and to embark on their own epic quests for truth and redemption.”

Ronin has inspired a generation of writers, artists, and fans alike and is cited as an inspiration for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Samurai Jack. Now Miller, Tan, and Henriques have created a worthy sequel, continuing the story for a new generation. Abrams ComicArts will publish Frank Miller’s Ronin Rising in bookstores on October 8, 2024 and in comic shops on October 9, 2024.

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Nerd Notes 10/1/2024 (Over due)

Posted on 10/02/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

New York Comic Con is coming up in three weeks and P-CS is going back this year after skipping 2023 (actually 2022 was the first time since 2015 or so I believe). There will be tons of content from that, but it hs been a long time since a Nerd Notes, so here’s a collection of stuff from September and maybe even before that in case it hasn’t released yet. This will be in no particular order.

Excited to see what they do with a work that has been adapted before albeit in retrospect very campily, but for its time strong. This looks very promising.
Out now and absolutely fun. You should totally play The Plucky Squire on your chosen device. I chose PS5 as it was part of the very valuable and worthwhile PS+ program, but the game is worth it wherever.
I am super excited to watch this when it hits streaming on Paramount+ October 2.
New Little Big!
New Franz Ferdinand, 6 years since the last!
This Willie Nelson cover of The Flaming Lips is magical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNKRIDJmxRs
This popped up on my Reccs on Little Shop Day and I loved every second of it.
Bob! BOB! BOBBBBBBBBBB!
This could be tender and this kid could be the next big thing.
This just looks great.
Seeing Grace’s career just keep soaring has been a joy.
another cover, AAR made Harvey Danger their own and still kept true to the OG.
I adore Saoirse Ronan.
Dog Man just looks like the filmmakers understand Dav Pilkey.
Watched this one on Prime already, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt carries a film very well and Shailene Woodley is a joy. A very basic script, but well done.
This is gonna be weird and I like weird.
This is gonna be weird and I like weird. Did I say that?
This is gonna be weird… and… I like Nick Frost.
Another cover, Duff tackles the Bowie classic with respect.
Eggers man… Eggers.
I’ve been with the Ryu Ga Gotoku saga since day 1. I loved Takashi Miike version. The TV drama they did was great too, I feel this new version will be something totally different yet true and fantastic.
This serial killer story has been told many times, but never from this perspective. Also Anna Kendrick directed it so it could be really interesting seeing her chops behind the camera.
This just looks hilarious. There’s a photo-op actication promoted for New York Comic Con as well, so I’m excited.
This looks creepy, effective and I love seeing Billy Crystal taking on roles like this when he doesn’t need to, so you know he was sold on the story.
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SMALL TOWN SECRETS UNFOLD IN THE UPCOMING HARDCOVER COLLECTED EDITION OF JEFF LEMIRE’S FISHFLIES HITTING SHELVES MARCH 2025

Posted on 09/26/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

“Equal parts Tales from the Crypt and Stand By Me.” —AIPT

PORTLAND, Ore. 09/26/2024 — The beloved, critically-acclaimed Fishflies series by New York Times bestselling, multiple award winning creator Jeff

 Lemire (Sweet Tooth, Gideon Falls, Descender) will be collected in its entirety, issues #1-7, into hardcover format in March 2025 from Image Comics.

A small-town crime sets off a chain of events that will permanently alter the lives of several residents of bucolic Belle River, Ontario. As the manhunt heats up, a lonely girl named Franny Fox forms an unlikely friendship with a fugitive that leads them both on an odyssey of discovery and redemption… a journey that also uncovers dark secrets from the town’s eery past.

“Fishflies was a true labour of love. In many ways it was a return to the terrain of Essex County, but with a supernatural twist,” said Lemire. “It’s the story of a small town crime, a lonely girl and a monster, but it’s a lot more than that to me. Fishflies got me through some really hard times and Franny and Bug became my anchors and companions. The story took me places I never anticipated, and I’m really happy to be collecting it all into one complete graphic novel edition.”

Magical realism and mystery collide in this standalone story perfect for fans of Lemire’s Royal City and The Underwater Welder or his A.D.: After Death co-creation with Scott Snyder and Plutona co-creation with Emi Lenox.

Fishflies hardcover (ISBN: 978-1534395176) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Fishflies is also available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Select praise for Fishflies:

“Eerie and creepy till the final page, Fishflies is an absolute must-read for all fans of comics.” —The GWW

“A unique exploration of Lemire’s creative storytelling prowess.” —GonkBonk

“Lemire combines natural horror themes with a touch of fantasy to present a story that stands on its own.” —Nerd Initiative

“Equal parts Tales from the Crypt and Stand By Me.” —AIPT

“A bizarre book but unquestionably memorable.” —ComicBook.com

“It’s not really a surprise when Jeff Lemire creates another great story—but it is refreshing… It’s vintage Lemire—and that is a very good thing for readers.” —Comicon

“A great slow burn of a comic that keeps readers guessing.” —Major Spoilers


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Contemporary indie thriller Apartment Story now available for PC

Posted on 09/26/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

A videogame about a gun and the three lives it will change forever

Glasgow, United Kingdom – September 26th, 2024 – Blue Rider Interactive is today proud to announce that its feature-length, dramatic third-person thriller Apartment Story is now available to download via Steam for £6.00 / €6.83 / $7.00.

To coincide with the launch a vibe-laden new trailer sets the scene for a story that will forever change the life of the three people therein.

Apartment Story is a fast-paced, single-player narrative experience about three people and a gun, set within a single apartment. It contrasts the mundanity of modern living with taut and sharp storytelling.

Arthur is a 27-year-old just trying to stay afloat, his mundane life takes a turn when his former roommate Diane shows up at his door. She stays a while and together they party, but soon Blondey enters the picture and the good times soon go bad.

Over a few days in a single apartment, players must help Arthur navigate escalating narrative events and his interpersonal relationships, while maintaining his via an immersive, sim-lite management system – which is all brought to life via a highly-detailed, atmospheric, yet grounded PS2-style aesthetic.

Apartment Story gives players the opportunity to express their own personality through gameplay choices made in the downtime between its narrative beats. Will they choose to participate in a dangerous and dramatic narrative? Or will they keep the front door closed, eating and procrastinating until they’ve shut the world out for good?

Whatever they decide, the cold steel of a handgun lies hidden somewhere within the darkness of the apartment…

Apartment Story Features

  • Absorb yourself in a fast-paced, dramatic thriller that centres around three distinct personalities which evolve as the gun is introduced and the stakes are raised.
  • You are invited to take an active role in Arthur’s life and welfare through a deep and immersive needs management system. Eat food, pee, wash your hands, sleep, smoke, write, watch TV, shave, change clothes, nap, shower, take drugs, wash the dishes, turn off the lights, drink beer, listen to music, top up your electric, answer the door and shoot someone with a real gun. Engaging in these activities will keep your Life stats up and Arthur poised for the drama coming his way, if that’s what you’ve chosen.
  • Tidy and organise the objects within your apartment however you desire by picking up any small object and placing them anywhere within reach.
  • Real-time night and day cycles.
  • A feature-length experience, which means you can grab yourself a drink and complete the game within a single night. Playtime: approximately 90-120 minutes.


Apartment Story is now available to download for PC (Steam Deck compatible) via Steam for £6.00 / €6.83 / $7.00.

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Heaven, Hell, Earth and Time and the End of it All

Posted on 09/26/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

(A The Holy Gosh Darn Review)

Tell old people they suck. Cut people off before they finish sentences. Say what someone is going to say before they say it before they know they’re going to say it. Jump and leap ahead of someone to their final destination because you followed them, then time traveled to take the route they went on. These are just some of the things you can do in the time loop adventure puzzle with mild platforming THE HOLY GOSH DARN. This is just the tip of the iceberg though.

If you love thinking you’ve gotten to the end of the road, only to find out its just a piece of the road, and you have to go all the way back to the start, but with knowing everything you learned along the way; well this is the game for you!

Perfectly Paranormal who has played with what a videogame is alongside a fantastic art style with both Manual Samuel and Helheim Hassle finish what is now The Tuesday Trilogy with this tale. You don’t have to had played either of those games to enjoy this, but it will help you appreciate this world that the develepors have created.

Now as of this release date I have not actually finished the game despite having it for a week. It’s a lot of story to absorb and I needed breaks just to adjust my brain. This is a good thing. I like a game that engrosses me but also takes its time to understand, learn and get better at. Also there’s some non-essential fun stuff to try in the game with the time travel that makes you want to take your sweet time.

Also hope you like making coffee.

THE HOLY GOSH DARN is available on Steam, Xbox, Playstation and Switch starting September 26, 2024.

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Abrams ComicArts Publishes Rick Parker’s Graphic Memoir DRAFTED

Posted on 09/25/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum
Original Graphic Novel Explores Parker’s Time in the U.S. Army During the War in Vietnam 

September 24, 2024 – Abrams ComicArts, a division of ABRAMS, has published Drafted, cartoonist Rick Parker’s original graphic novel memoir about his time in the U.S. Army after being drafted to serve during the war in Vietnam. A real departure from Parker’s fan-favorite work on MTV’s Beavis and Butthead comic book and his work in the Marvel Bullpen, this beautifully drawn and deeply personal memoir tells a compelling, thought-provoking story that’s sure to stick with readers long after they’ve finished reading. 

In Drafted, Rick Parker, a shy, inexperienced, and overly protected teenager gets drafted into the United States Army at the height of the war in Vietnam. The looming threat of deployment informs every aspect of his life, from the most ludicrous experiences to the grimmest tests of endurance. Determined to do his patriotic duty, Parker wants nothing more than to serve his time and return to civilian life to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. In telling this story, he shows how Vietnam was the last war in the United States that instituted the draft; how the draft affected those who served; and how we as Americans think of war and our soldiers once they return from service. Parker also shows how being an artist helped him to survive his time in the army. 

Here’s what people are saying about Drafted:

“Rick Parker’s remarkable graphic novel Drafted is a painfully honest, funny, and often troubling account of his time in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. It’s a page-turning tale of a young rube sucked into the dysfunctional war machine, packed with details that can only come from enduring that experience firsthand. Engaging, insightful, and wonderfully drawn, Drafted is a fascinating read by a master storyteller.”—Derf Backderf, My Friend Dahmer, Kent State 

“Parker mixes dark humor and genuine pathos in this cockeyed account of his Vietnam-era tour of duty. . . . [His] wartime stories tickle the funny bone and jab at the heart.”—Publishers Weekly

“Rick Parker went through basic training a few years before I did, but man, everything in his graphic novel rings true and clear. This is observational graphic storytelling at its best. If you’ve never been in the service, this will be an eye-opener, and if you are a vet, this will trigger some long-forgotten memories.” —Larry Hama, G.I. Joe, The ’Nam, and Vietnam veteran

“Deftly balances dark themes and topics with a sense of humor, offering a unique perspective on war, soldiers, service and art as a means of survival.”―Portland Press Herald

“Rick Parker’s graphic novel is about an incredibly important part of the American experience, a subject that should appeal across party and ideological lines. He writes and draws as an everyman soldier, much like everyone’s kid or sibling who went into service, but he happens to have the skill to render it viscerally as a comic. And in this endeavor, Parker brings all of his expertise to bear; all of his humor, empathy, and humanity, and his sense of right and wrong. Drafted is his magnum opus.”

—James Romberger,7 Miles a Second

“Rick Parker’s recall of his harrowing youth in the military is so clearly told that it will make your stomach sink while your eyes are glued to the page. I loved every minute of this book!”

—Noah Van Sciver, Joseph Smith and the Mormons

“Compelling.”—AIPT 

“I loved everything about this thoroughly engaging graphic memoir of a young artist coming of age in the 1960s, with the draft unavoidable and the Vietnam War looming large—a sensitive, funny evocation of cluelessness, vulnerability, and emerging focus as a fledgling recruit becomes a man in the U.S. Army.”

—Louise Simonson, New Mutants and Superman: The Man of Steel

Rick Parker is a letterer and cartoonist and the artist of the MTV Beavis and Butt-Head comic book series published by Marvel Comics. He is also the illustrator of the Ghoulunatics and a series of parody comics for Papercutz, which includes titles such as Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid, Harry Potty and the Deathly Boring, Breaking Down (a Twilight Saga parody), Percy Jerkson and the Ovolactovegetarians, The Hunger Pains, and The Farting Dead. Drafted is his first graphic novel. He lives in Falmouth, Maine.

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Study by University of Oxford in collaboration with PowerWash Simulator reveals playing video games can be good for your mood

Posted on 09/25/2024 by Pop-Culture Spectrum

Oxford Internet Institute carried out the first of its kind study, to understand more about the short-term effects of playing video games.

Brighton, 25 September 2024 – FuturLab and Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford, is excited to reveal the results of a new international study that shows positive mood changes during video game play – with data collected from players of PowerWash Simulator who opted to take part in the study via a research edition of the game.

The study looked at player data from 67,328 gaming sessions from 8,695 players in 39 countries, analysing their mood before and during gameplay. Across 162,325 in-game mood reports from players of PowerWash Simulator, the average player reported a more positive mood during play than at the start of each session. Researchers predict 72% of players experience this uplift in mood during the play session based on statistical modeling of player data.

Link to study: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3659464

About the study

The study analysed data from players in 39 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Germany and found that PowerWash Simulator’s players’ moods rapidly increased during gameplay. Players consistently reported a higher mood after the first fifteen minutes of the play session compared to the start of each session.

The researchers collaborated with PowerWash Simulator’s developer, FuturLab, to develop a research edition of the game that recorded gameplay events, game status records, participant demographics and responses to psychological survey items. This latest analysis is based on a dataset the team previously published in the journal Scientific Data last year. 

Lead author Assistant Professor Matti Vuorre, Tilburg University and Research Associate, Oxford Internet Institute said: “At present short-term changes in video game players’ moods are poorly understood. Gameplay research frequently relies on artificial stimuli, with games created or modified by academic researchers, typically played in a lab environment rather than a natural context. Instead, we wanted to know how real play in natural contexts might predict player mood on short timescales.”

Commenting on the findings, second author Nick Ballou, Postdoctoral Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford said, “By investigating player experiences during natural play of a popular and commercially available game, we found strong evidence for a small positive change in mood over the course of a play session.  Our current study corroborates what qualitative research and reports from video game players around the world have long suggested: People feel good playing video games”. 

They also looked at differences in mood uplift between the population of similar PWS players. The Oxford team statistically modelled between-person differences in mood shifts in the population of PWS players. They found that nearly three-quarters of players (72.1%) were likely to experience an uplift in their mood during PowerWash Simulator play.

James Butlin, Lead Programmer at FuturLab Ltd said: “Working with the team at Oxford Internet Institute was incredibly insightful! They were very supportive throughout and actively engaged with our challenge of designing a user experience that could deliver the study questions with minimal impact on the gameplay.”

Unlike other studies in this field, the Oxford study is the first of its kind to examine changes in mood during play sessions in a minute-by-minute resolution. The research edition was nearly identical to the main game, with the addition of in-game pop-ups asking players to report their mood, delivered by a newly created character called ‘The Researchers’ making them part of the game lore, ensuring minimal disruption to the player experience.

Senior author Professor Andrew Przybylski, Oxford Internet Institute adds: “We believe our findings are most consistent with the notion that gaming – for most people – is a recovery activity that helps to manage day-to-day stresses and mood fluctuations, without necessarily having substantial long-term impacts.

“The fact that we studied only one game – and one that is not likely representative of today’s most commonly played games – suggests caution in generalizing from our findings to other games.  Future work should consider the use of randomised controlled trials to evaluate the effect of playing PowerWash Simulator or other games compared to other leisure activities or therapeutic interventions.

Ultimately better understanding the multiverse of play, including temporal patterns, social experiences, in-game behaviours and events, players’ personalities, its antecedents and consequences warrants continued research efforts coordinated across and beyond academia.”

The paper ‘Affective Uplift During Video Game Play: A Naturalistic Case Study’ by Matti Vuorre, Nick Ballou, Thomas Hakman, Kristoffer Magnusson and Andrew K. Przybylski is published open access in the journal Games: Research and Practice.

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