This series is a revised collection of extracts on topics I researched for my dissertation about e-commerce and gamification.
In Game Design players are often segmented into four types using classifications from “Designing Virtual Worlds” by Bartle (2003).
These four types are:
The Explorer: discovers the systems governing the operation of the game world.
The Achiever: accumulates status tokens by beating the rules-based challenges of the game world.
The Killer: interferes with the functioning of the game world or the play experience of other players.
The Social Player: forms relationships with other players by telling stories within the game world.
Bartle shows how players in a virtual world demonstrate a ‘celebration of identity’. Meaning, different users find different things fun and express this through interaction.
Source: Game Developer
"The player types theory is there to remind you that you're making games for human players, involving their psychology in how they perceive and play your game"
The method of above is an example of segmenting, labelling and then adjusting systems to maximise engagement with users, and this can be applied widely in digital experience design. By collecting granular data on user interactions and designing towards ever-more detailed player types and segments, you can plug leaks in retention and improve conversion.