Figame: A Family Digital Game Based on JME for Shaping Parent-Child Healthy Gaming Relationship

Abstract

With the development of technology, digital games have permeated into family and parent-child relationships, leading to cognitive deficiencies and inter-generational conflicts that have yet to be effectively addressed. Building on previous research on digital games and parent-child relationships, we have developed Figame, a Joint Media Engagement (JME) based parent-child digital game aimed at fostering healthy family gaming relationships through co-playing experiences. The game itself involves providing game-related cognitive support, facilitating role-switching between parent and child, encouraging discussions both within and outside the game, and balancing competition and collaboration. During the study, we assessed the gameplay experiences of 8 parent-child pairs (aged between 8 and 12 years). The results indicated that Figame effectively enhances parent-child digital gaming relationships and promotes a willingness to engage in shared gameplay, thereby fostering positive family dynamics within the context of digital gaming.