However, there are plenty of titles available with female and non-binary characters to pursue. Conventions of an otome game mean that the protagonist is typically a woman with the love interests mainly being male. Often story-based in the visual novel genre, the main plot of an otome game is for the central character to develop a romantic relationship with one or more other characters. However, the genre is one of the first (and few) types of games that are specifically marketed at and developed with women in mind. Assistance for problem gamers could include minimizing/removing the pull forces and obtaining adequate push forces to enable their desired participation in daily activities.A type of Japanese game, otome game (often shortened to just otoge) quite literally translates as ‘maiden’ game.ĭespite being generally targeted to a female audience there are otome titles aimed at guys too. The push and pull influences on the amount of gaming can occur in real-life or virtually. Second, individual, interpersonal, and environmental influences acted simultaneously to push and pull on the amount of gaming. The negative experiences mainly resulted from using video games as a coping strategy for other life stressors. Video gaming offered both positive and negative experiences in gamers’ lives. Participants in this study understood what activities offered them a sense of meaning and personal growth.
First, gaming was found to be a meaningful and purposeful activity. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Semi-structured interviews and week-long activity logs were used to collect data from the 16 problem gamers in five countries. This study aims to gain a more holistic understanding of the activities in the daily lives of problem gamers particularly, what is important to them, what motivates gaming, and what supports/constraints engagement in other life activities. Currently, a full appreciation of how problem gaming impacts the daily lives of gamers is lacking.