A Comprehensive Study Based on Gestalt Psychology on the Influence of Fragmented Narratives on Player Engagement in Video Games

As the game industry has developed, fragmented narratives—distinct from traditional linear storytelling—have gradually emerged as a significant trend in game narrative design, as they can enhance players' sense of engagement. Fragmented narratives enhance players' immersion by guiding them to actively reconstruct the storyline from non-linear, dispersed fragments of information. Drawing upon Gestalt psychology, which posits that the human mind actively organizes fragmented information into cohesive wholes, this study investigates the influence of fragmented narratives on players' engagement in video games, with a particular focus on fostering autonomous exploration, enhancing imagination, and facilitating integration and interpretation. This study collected feedback from 245 video game players regarding their experiences with fragmented narratives through a questionnaire survey. SPSS was utilized to conduct a statistical analysis of the relationship between fragmented narratives in video games and players' engagement. The findings indicate a significant positive correlation between fragmented narratives in video games and players' engagement. Specifically, the analysis reveals that fragmented narratives contribute to enhancing players' involvement in the game, thereby optimizing the interactive experience between players and the game.<br/> This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach to thoroughly examine the relationship between fragmented narrative techniques in video games and players' engagement, offering theoretical insights to inform game narrative design. This approach positively contributes to enhancing players' psychological engagement and cognitive involvement, thereby offering valuable insights for game developers to design narratives that align with players' psychological cognition.