Player experiences in a massively multiplayer online game: A diary study of performance, motivation, and social interaction.

Video game researchers have struggled to capture players' personal experiences in natural gaming contexts. We used longitudinal diary methods to examine the everyday experiences of new and experienced players within a massively multiplayer online game, Team Fortress 2. Participants (N = 38) completed diaries about gameplay and negative social interactions such as trash-talking and harassment. Themes included frustrating play and performance as motivator, as well as six themes regarding social interaction: skill disparagement, fairweather friends, toxic masculinity, vicious cycles, "kicking" players, and reporting differences. Some findings supported existing research; others challenge previous research using other methods. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using diary methods in video game research.