Speaker: Andrew Hogan from Intorqa

Up to 65% of players say they’ve experienced cheating while playing a game.

But what really happens the moment a player encounters a cheat? How does it make them feel? Do they always notice? Will they stop playing? Do they all react the same way?

In what we believe is the first project of its kind, Intorqa partnered with Brainamics, a neurotech startup, to conduct tests to analyze players’ brain activity and emotions in a multiplayer FPS game with cheats.

During the research, players of varied levels of experience wore EEG headsets that measured their brain activity as they played matches against a team that, unknown to them, included two researchers using a selection of cheats.

Our analysis of participants’ emotions uncovered findings including:

• Engagement levels steadily decline for all participants, regardless of whether they were aware of playing against cheaters.
• Once participants were aware of the presence of cheaters, the game loop was disrupted and their motivation to continue playing significantly decreased.
• This is particularly true for new players who are establishing a connection between the game and rewards, as cheaters can disrupt habit formation and increase the churn rate.

Intorqa’s research will provide attendees with new insight and understanding of cheating, so they and their teams can help and assist players with genuine empathy, prioritize resources objectively, and ensure the sustainable long-term success of their games by optimising the game security strategy.