Balancing safety and danger in gaming for better user engagement

Computer games, as a form of interactive media, invoke emotions and feelings in gamers. These emotional and psychological effects resulting from game play affect the gaming experience, both positively and negatively. Earlier studies identified danger as an important element of gaming, where gamers are challenged and engage in intense emotional and psychological experiences. However, the element of danger can be detrimental when strong emotions are invoked and penalties are imposed on gamers, leading to an inconsistent gaming experience. In this study, we analyze how Runescape, a massive multiplayer online game balances the danger elements by introducing safety features in an important aspect of the game - trading. Trading scams in Runescape were prevalent before safety elements were implemented, leading to the breach of trust and negative consequences for the gamers. Through trade policing and balance, trade scams are minimized, and gamers can safely trade with one another, immersing themselves in the represented reality without suffering from detrimental emotional consequences. From the analysis of Runescape, we propose three guidelines to suggest how to balance in-game safety and danger for future game development.