Abstract
Background: Individuals diagnosed with gaming disorder (GD) often exhibit increased arousal during gameplay. Objectives: This study aims to compare arousal levels among individuals with GD, problematic gamers (PG), and those with healthy gaming habits (HG) using a 14-stage hyper-casual racing game. It further investigates how game difficulty affects emotional responses. Methods: We developed a detailed game and involved 146 participants to evaluate their feelings of dominance, arousal, and valence at each game stage, utilizing the Self-Assessment Manikin Test. Results: Problematic gamers and those with healthy gaming habits displayed similar emotional fluctuations throughout the game, whereas individuals with GD demonstrated a stable emotional pattern, regardless of game difficulty. An increase in game difficulty was associated with enhanced positive emotional experiences and a decrease in feelings of dominance. Stages 4, 12, and 13 of the game were identified as particularly emotionally engaging. Conclusions: Individuals with GD may possess a distinct emotional profile, providing valuable insights into the psychology of gaming and emotional well-being in today's digital era.