Disengagement From Games: Characterizing the Experience and Process of Exiting Play Sessions
summary
Two-phase empirical work combines n=16 interviews and n=111 survey responses to show disengagement is often positive when it provides satisfaction and closure, negative when it yields rage, regret or progress loss, and sometimes neutral boredom. Disengagement appears as a process—pre-play planning, in-game adjustment, post-play reflection—with external pressures (fatigue, social life) shaping exits. Concrete design levers include clear goals, transparent progression, flexible saving, and dynamic difficulty to reduce exit friction.
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