PROSUMPTION AND GAMEPLAY EXPERIENCE: GAMER PERCEPTION REGARDING STARDEW VALLEY MODS

Abstract

Purpose – Video game developers/studios who create successful game titles/franchises rely on active fan communities/fandom to increase the shelf life/commercial value of their games. Prosumption is an accepted practice in the video gaming industry, where users become value co-creators through modding and share their original content with other users/gamers without any commercial intent. Modding provides a platform for users to be recognized as content creators and provides gratification to both modders and gamers. In this content, this study seeks to evaluate the types of gratification and immersion derived by users of various mods created for Stardew Valley, a farming simulator role playing game.

Design/Methodology/approach – This research classifies 50 popular mods of Stardew Valley into specific categories based on utility through the framework proposed by Hackman & Björkqvist. The popularity of mods is evaluated based on average downloads and endorsements by users available on NexusMods, a mod sharing platform. The study then evaluates the mods based on types of gratification generated using the ‘UGT’ framework proposed by Bakar, Bolong, Bidin, & Mailin and sources of immersion based on the ‘SCI’ framework conceptualized by Ermi & Mayra. 

Findings – The perceived gratification derived by potential users of mods based on downloads and gratification dervied by actual users based on endorsements reveals differences in the types of gratification derived between various categories of mods. Gamers preferences reveal that ‘Providing custom help’ mods and ‘Cheats’ mods are the most popular categories and provide content gratification and process gratification respectively. Technological gratification is the primary motive for downloading mods among users, while Social gratification is the key motive derived based on endorsements provided by existing mod users.  

Research limitations/implications – The study relies on secondary data published on NexusMods for evaluating gamer preferences and purely descriptive in nature.  Primary data collected from mod users could provide a more accurate understanding regarding types of immersion and sources of gratification.

Practical implications – The findings reveal that mod users of Stardew Valley derive social gratification through the game and prefer mods that enhance imaginative immersion. The developer/publisher of Stardew Valley could engage with popular mod creators to enhance the commercial value of the game through downloadable content packs (DLCs) or provide patches (free updates/improvements) to the game. This could in turn increase the shelf life of Stardew Valley and allow the game developer/publisher to manage in-game content and game experience.

Originality/value – This study integrates the UGT & SCI framework in the context of prosumption and provides a new classification framework for video game mods.

Keywords - Prosumer, Prosumption, Video games, Mods, Game Experience, Gameplay experience, Uses and Gratification, UGT.

Paper type – Research Paper