Bartle's taxonomy breaks down game players' motivations by how they engage with game elements (Act/Interact) and where they focus on (World/Players). Game designers should create goals for Achievers, secrets for Explorers, chat tools for Socializers, and competitive arenas for Killers.
Paper: HEARTS, CLUBS, DIAMONDS, SPADES: PLAYERS WHO SUIT MUDS
Ask anyone who plays games why they play, and their response is likely to be to have fun.
But what do people find fun in games?
Game researcher and professor Richard Bartle proposed a taxonomy in his 1996 paper to break down what different players find using two axes:
- Act/Interact: How players prefer to engage with game elements? Act means taking direct control and imposing your will on the game or others, while Interact means engaging in two-way participation like connecting, collaborating, exploring, or socializing.
- World/Players: Where do players focus their attention? World refers to the game's environment, including rules, lore, systems, and tasks. Players, on the other hand, represent human interaction, such as how you connect with or influence other players.
Therefore, when you combine these two axes, you get four distinct types:
- Achievers (Act + World): These players like acting on the world and typically play to win or reach goals.
- Explorers (Interact + World): These players enjoy interacting with the world and discovering new things.
- Socializers (Interact + Players): These players like interacting with other players and spend a lot of time chatting.
- Killers (Act + Players): These players enjoy acting on other players and aim to compete and dominate them through bullying or politicking.
Bartle's taxonomy is useful for game design to balance games and accommodate different player types. For instance, having goals for Achievers, secrets for Explorers, chat tools for Socializers, and competitive arenas for Killers.
According to Interaction Design Foundation, most players are Socializers (~80 %) with Achievers and Explorers each around 10 %, and few are Killers (<1 %). However, this is a simplified distribution because most players blend types. An Explorer may enjoy social chat, while a Socializer may want some achievements.
There are also some updated taxonomies like Yee's, the HEXAD, or the new 3D Player Types Model, but Bartle's four player types remain fundamental.