JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Researchers and therapists have increasingly turned to digital games for new forms of treatments and interventions for people suffering from a variety of mental health issues. Yet, the depiction mental illness within digital games typically promote stigmatized versions of those with mental health concerns. Recently, more games have attempted to implement more realistic and respectful depictions of mental health conditions.

Objective:

This paper presents an analysis of a new game which has the potential to change the way researchers and game designers approach topics of mental health within the context of gaming.

Methods:

A case study of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was conducted using Goffman's (1974) frame analysis to show how design choices and player reception for this game present the potential for new ways of approaching games and mental health.

Results:

Research shows that both mental health researchers and game designers have struggled to develop successful guidelines for collaborations. The depiction of psychosis within Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice shows how research-informed design can lead to innovative use of technology and game mechanics to create embodied experiences of mental health to promote empathetic understanding or mental health interventions.

Conclusions:

This paper highlights an exemplary case of collaborative game design with relation to mental health. Understanding the success of Hellblade's depiction of psychosis can improve serious games research and design. Further research must continue to provide deeper analysis of not only games, but also contextualize the experience of those who play these games.