Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games: Improving Negative Atmosphere with Social Robots and AI Teammates

Wang，Yimin1,2; Dai，Yonglin1; Chen，Shaokang3; Wang，Lingxin1; Hoorn，Johan F.1,4,5

2023-08-01

10.3390/systems11080425

Systems   Impact Factor & Quartile

2079-8954

Electronic sports show significant user churn caused by a toxic gaming atmosphere, and current GUI-based interventions are insufficient to address the issue. Based on the theoretical framework of Perceiving and Experiencing Fictional Characters, a new hybrid interaction interface and paradigm combined with tangibles is proposed to counter negative mood. To support the frustrated users of Massive Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, we added AI teammates for better personal performance and social robots for the disclosure of negative mood. We hypothesized that AI teammates’ invisibility and anonymity would mitigate negative emotions; an effect amplified by the presence of social robots. A comparative experiment was conducted with 111 participants. Social robots for emotion-oriented coping improved user mood but AI teammates for problem-oriented coping did so better, although their higher levels of experienced anonymity may not have been preferred. Unexpectedly, conversing with a robot after playing with an AI teammate brought the mood back to that experienced when talking to a robot alone, while increasing the distancing tendencies. With this in mind, AI and social robots can counter the negative atmosphere in MOBA games, positively contributing to game design and empathic human–computer interaction.

AI teammates game design and development human-centered interface design human–robot interaction massive online battle arena games negative emotion

SSCI

English

Others

Social Sciences - Other Topics

Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary

WOS:001056568800001

MDPI

2-s2.0-85169085923

Scopus

1.School of Design,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Kowloon,999077,Hong Kong
2.School of Design,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
3.School of the Arts,Universiti Sains Malaysia,George Town,11800,Malaysia
4.Department of Computing,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Kowloon,999077,Hong Kong
5.Department of Communication Science,Vrije Universiteit,Amsterdam,1081 HV,Netherlands

Wang，Yimin,Dai，Yonglin,Chen，Shaokang,et al. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games: Improving Negative Atmosphere with Social Robots and AI Teammates[J]. Systems,2023,11(8).

Wang，Yimin,Dai，Yonglin,Chen，Shaokang,Wang，Lingxin,&Hoorn，Johan F..(2023).Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games: Improving Negative Atmosphere with Social Robots and AI Teammates.Systems,11(8).

Wang，Yimin,et al."Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games: Improving Negative Atmosphere with Social Robots and AI Teammates".Systems 11.8(2023).