Kirby and "Poyo" in Experiencing Player Engagement

Foo, Qian Ru (2023) Kirby and "Poyo" in Experiencing Player Engagement. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study aims to explore the potential of one-word communication in eliciting emotion, fostering player engagement, and the perspectives of individuals towards characters utilizing it. The study specifically focuses on the video game character ‘Kirby’ and its unique communication style, where it only speaks one word which is “Poyo”. A subject pool of 15 respondents familiar with the character was gathered to answer a questionnaire. A mixed methods approach was used to analyze the data from this research, gathered from a six-point Likert scale and an open-ended questionnaire administered through the use of Google Forms. The analysis of the data reveals that Kirby's "Poyo" evokes positive emotions from players. The Likert scale data demonstrated that Kirby's language highly likely plays a role in certain types of engagement. The analysis of the qualitative data showed that participants have a general fondness for Kirby's defining characteristics. The insights gained from this study could further improve future game development and communication strategies.