Behavioral Traces and Player Typologies in Gamified VR: Insights for Adaptive and Inclusive Design

Gamified virtual reality (VR) environments are increasingly used to enhance engagement and learning, yet most designs still adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks motivational diversity. The HEXAD framework, which classifies users into six player types, provides a promising lens for addressing this gap, but its predictive validity in immersive VR remains contested. This study investigates how HEXAD profiles shape navigation, time allocation, and engagement dynamics in an open-ended gamified VR environment. Thirty-two undergraduate participants, all regular gamers, completed the HEXAD scale before exploring a VR setting with five thematic islands without predefined tasks. System logs and screen recordings captured first island choices, sequential visit patterns, and time spent, and data were analyzed using qualitative pattern analysis alongside nonparametric statistics. The results showed significant associations between player type and initial choices, with Players favoring Game Island, Socialisers choosing Social Island, Philanthropists engaging most with Library, and Achievers and Free Spirits drawn to Experience. Kruskal–Wallis tests of exploration breadth revealed moderate effect sizes across types, though significance was limited by sample size. Three emergent strategies, Focused Explorers, Wanderers, and Strategic Switchers, captured motivational orientations beyond single metrics, while heat map visualizations highlighted clustering around Game and Experience Islands. By situating these findings within flow theory and inclusive–adaptive design principles, this study demonstrates how behavioral traces can link motivational typologies with embodied interaction. Overall, the results advance debates on HEXAD’s robustness and contribute practical pathways for developing adaptive, motivation-sensitive VR environments that support sustained engagement and inclusivity.