Sep 29, 2024 4 min read Gaming Science

Skills vs. Friendship: How Player Motivation Shapes Team Selection

How do players choose their team mates in video games, and how do men and women differ?

Hello friends,

Another Sunday, another episode of Gaming Science. In this episode, we discuss the impact of players' different motivations to play and how they form teams in-game. Furthermore, we will explore the significant differences between men and women.

💡 Highlights
• Forming teams in video games is often a necessity and an essential part of many activities.
• Individual characteristics (e.g., types of motivation) shape how players select their team members.
• 9,335 players from an MMORPG were surveyed, and over 30 interviews were conducted.
• Players motivated by achievements select their team members based on skill and knowledge rather than personal relationships.
• Women are less willing to pick friends to play with than men when motivated by achievements.

📉 No One Wants to be on the "Bad" Team

Forming teams is an essential aspect of gaming and beyond (no one wants to be part of the "bad" team). When we play team games such as Counter-Strike, League of Legends, World of Warcraft, etc., we all hope to be on the team with the "best" players and win.

Individual characteristics (e.g., demographics and motivation) may shape the team member selection (TMS) process. For instance, some researchers argue that we strive to minimize diversity to increase bonding and communication. On the other hand, some argue that joining highly diverse teams, e.g., in terms of skills, is generally better for team performance.

Online games have "emerged as a virtual laboratory for studying human social behavior [1]" where players spontaneously form or join groups to achieve their goals. Little research has been conducted on how players choose team members in video games. Therefore, the study we’ll be looking at today tried to answer two questions: 1) Can motivation predict team member selection? and 2) Are the relationships between motivation and team selection influenced by the player's characteristics?

9️⃣ It's over 9,000!

The authors surveyed 9,335 players from CR3, the largest MMORPG in China (at that time). Additionally, they conducted interviews with over 30 CR3 players.

🤝 How do Players Form Groups?

Two motivational types (the motivation to socialize and to immerse in the virtual world) had similar effects on how players form groups. Players build different social relationships when they play with friends they first met in the game. This is because video games give people a shared purpose (e.g., raiding together or playing against an enemy team) while communicating (e.g., combat strategies or off-topic discussions).

"This joint action promotes affinity, helps build closeness, and is connected to a desire for valuable social leisure time [1]."

Players motivated by achievements (those who value goals and targets, enjoy leveling quickly, and accumulating in-game resources such as gold or gear) select their teammates based on the members' skills, knowledge, and information relevant to achieving the team's goal. The authors argue that most teams are built to complete in-game achievements, hence driving those motivated to progress in the game to select teams (and members) based on characteristics that would support their goals.

Furthermore, the achievement motivation of players is negatively associated with bond-based team member selection (TMS). "Bond-based TMS refers to the selection of a group member based on a current social relationship (e.g., a friend or classmate) for the social experience of gaming together in the online game [1]." Players interested in progressing in-game shy away from forming teams with people they personally know.

"[The group of] solo players is comprised of gamers who are more performance and outcome-driven and therefore have no clear preference when it comes to choosing teammates. Furthermore, they prefer bond-based TMS when they are driven by immersion motivation [1]."

Lastly, the authors found an interesting difference when it comes to players' gender. When the motivation to play is based on achieving goals and socializing, women are more unwilling to pick friends to play with than men.

🤔 What can We Learn from It?

First, it's not surprising that people who want to progress and reach goals in-game (or in real life) tend to look for team members who are best suited (skill and knowledge-wise) to complete the necessary tasks. We all know the situation where we want to get something done, and someone we personally know wants to join the team but isn’t skilled enough. For instance, when you want to get to Platinum in League and your friend who’s in Silver asks you to play, you’ll probably find any excuse not to play with them or switch to your smurf account. (If you’re the Silver player, don’t be too sad if your buddy says no.)

Second, socially and achievement-driven women select team members based on skills and knowledge. However, this may not always be the case, based on the results of another study we covered in an earlier episode, where women may play with their romantic partner.

Enjoy your week, everyone. 😀 See you next Sunday for another episode.

Yours truly,
Christian