How the Death-themed Game Spiritfarer Can Help Players Cope with the Loss of a Loved One

Abstract

While commercial videogames are increasingly recognized to be able to facilitate meaningful experiences, little has been researched on its potential as a medium to help players cope with the loss of a loved one. In this study, we aimed to investigate the player's bereavement process while playing the commercial death-themed game Spiritfarer. Through a thematic analysis of qualitative indepth interviews with 6 participants, we found that the player's grieving experience closely resembled the Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement by Stroebe and Schut. In the game, players oscillated between facing loss-orientation stressors (`Character resemblance to the deceased', `Sending characters away') and restoration-orientation stressors (`Taking care of remaining spirits'). Through this process, the participants coped with and sometimes reappraised their loss. We further found that the players bereavement experience and level of engagement greatly varied depending on their `prior loss experience', `gaming environment' and `tendency to focus on self or game'. Those diferences were partly accommodated by the game through its complex and diverse characters and engaging game elements. We conclude with insights for future works in game design for bereavement support.