Assessing player engagement in local indie games: A qualitative study of affective game design elements

• Game design components can affect players’ emotional experiences in video games. • Indie games bring new perspectives to game design and reshape how we perceive gaming. • Affective user-centered design enhances gaming experience by shaping player emotions. • Creating a local indie game requires understanding how local gamers interpret and engage. • Using multiple affective methods ensures an accurate assessment of players’ deep engagement during gaming. This paper presents the insights and categories of affective game design elements that are crucial for engaging local independent (indie) games. In recent years, the game industry has grown rapidly with the rising focus on studying emotion in video games, particularly in the indie game sector. Indie game success relies on visibility in elite platforms, driving local indie developers to prioritize high-quality games to compete globally. Thus, creating games that provide an enjoyable and engaging experience for diverse players is crucial. The emotions that player experience during the game is the key to keep them in the state of flow while fostering high immersion and engagement. Affective user-centered design (AUCD) plays a vital role in enhancing the player engagement by influencing player emotional experience and meeting their desires while engaging with the game design components. This study employs an observational approach to explore affective game design elements in indie games within the Malaysian context. The findings provide a clearer understanding of how these games engage local gamers and offer deeper insights into the essential elements for successful local indie game development, including their impact on player engagement, immersion, and gameplay involvement.