Improving the Efficacy of Games for Change Using Personalization Models

There has been a continuous increase in the design and application of computer games for purposes other than entertainment in recent years. Serious games—games that motivate behavior and retain attention in serious contexts—can change the attitudes, behaviors, and habits of players. These games for change have been shown to motivate behavior change, persuade people, and promote learning using various persuasive strategies. However, persuasive strategies that motivate one player may demotivate another. In this article, we show the importance of tailoring games for change in the context of a game designed to improve healthy eating habits. We tailored a custom-designed game by adapting only the persuasive strategies employed; the game mechanics themselves did not vary. Tailoring the game design to players’ personality type improved the effectiveness of the games in promoting positive attitudes, intention to change behavior, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, we show that the benefits of tailoring the game intervention are not explained by the improved player experience, but directly by the choice of persuasive strategy employed. Designers and researchers of games for change can use our results to improve the efficacy of their game-based interventions.