Investigating the Design Factors for Positive Emotions and Meaningful Parasocial Interaction in Narrative Roleplaying Games

Despite growing recognition of the potential benefits of video games, the positive psychological impact of narrative role-playing games (RPGs) remains understudied. These games, with their immersive storytelling, are uniquely positioned to foster meaningful engagement. However, known protective factors for well-being such as positive emotions and character interactions - otherwise known as parasocial interactions - have yet to be thoroughly explored. To address this gap, this study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate the design elements underlying positive emotions and meaningful parasocial interactions in narrative RPGs, combining an online questionnaire with open- and closed-ended questions completed by 100 participants and in-depth interviews with 10 individuals. Linear regression analyses demonstrated reciprocal predictive relationships between positive affect and parasocial interactions as well as positive affect and negative affect. Additionally, reflexive thematic analysis generated six themes that captured how players experienced these effects in narrative RPGs, ranging from the freedom of immersion to narrative soundness. Based on these insights, a set of research-informed recommendations targeted towards optimising player well-being was produced for developers of this genre. Overall, it is suggested that narrative-gameplay consistency, fantasy-reality balance, and negative but meaningful experiences stimulate positive emotions and meaningful parasocial interactions in narrative RPGs,providing implications for the future research, design, and evaluation of this genre.