GameFlow Affordances: Towards a Tool for Designing Gameful Experiences

Abstract

Following publication in 2005, the original GameFlow model has seen thousands of citations and hundreds of applications to designing and evaluating games and gameful experiences. In the intervening years, the GameFlow model has been put to the test and validated by applying it to different game experiences to further understand those experiences and to expose any weaknesses of the model. This paper builds upon the history of applications, validation, and interrogation of the GameFlow model to redevelop and propose a new version of GameFlow, called GameFlow Affordances. GameFlow Affordances shifts GameFlow from a prescriptive list of low-level criteria, to a modernised, high-level model for affording enjoyable experiences. We review the previous commentary and recommendations on the GameFlow model, propose a new model in response to previous work, and outline next steps in developing a design tool for using GameFlow Affordances in the design of games and gameful experiences. Show more