Why people play horror games Renewed interest in gaming horror has surged, driven by intense, disturbing indie creations – some of which have sold in the millions. […]

Renewed interest in gaming horror has surged, driven by intense, disturbing indie creations – some of which have sold in the millions.

But given how vividly frightening and uncomfortable these experiences can be, why do they prove so popular?

Jamie Madigan, author of Getting Gamers: The Psychology of Video Games, says researchers have explored a number of possible reasons.

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“One is that certain types of people are drawn to horror games because it’s pleasurable to be scared if you know deep down that you’re safe,” he explains. “It helps us master our fears by experiencing them in a safe way.

“You know you can always circumvent the danger or – at worst – just turn off the game”

“Games are interesting because they give you such a sense of control. You know you can always circumvent the danger or – at worst – just turn off the game.

“There’s also what’s called ‘excitation transfer theory’, which says that the emotional rush we get from fear transfers into and amplifies the pleasurable feeling of relief when it’s all over. Think of it as a post-horror high.”

According to Madigan, the social aspect of horror games may also play a part.

YouTube personality PewDiePie surged to popularity largely as a result of his playthroughs of horror games. His first Outlast gameplay video has more than 16 million views.

“There’s the school of thought that we do scary stuff to look tough and cool to members of the opposite sex, and other peers.”

This may be driving the popularity of horror gaming even more in the age of YouTube; where the ‘Let’s Play phenomenon’ has seen streaming of scary video games amass jaw-dropping numbers of uploads and views online.

“There’s some research to suggest that the appeal of horror is that it gives you a chance to show off,” Madigan notes. “This is especially true for young people who are just learning to master their emotional responses and social rules around looking tough or detached.”

‘If pain makes you feel alive, then horror is the closest thing’

The developers behind some of gaming’s most successful modern horror titles have their own theories.

Thomas Grip is the creative director of Frictional Games, a studio famed for its terrifying, influential hit Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and last year’s existentially disturbing SOMA.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent, often credited with inspiring the recent boom in pure horror games, has sold more than 2 million copies on PC alone since its release in 2010. A PlayStation 4 collection has just been announced.

He believes the deeply immersive qualities of horror games and their unusual emphasis on narrative prove fulfilling. But he also argues that game developers have become better at crafting raw fear experiences.

“The recent rise in popularity has come from a quite particular genre, one that I like to call the ‘horror simulator’,” he explains.

“What makes this special is that…there is no standard gameplay that underlies the experience. Instead the horror itself is what make the game engaging to play.

“Previously, most gaming horror has been layered on top of another type of game (such as shooters). But these recent games are purer, making them better at the horror needs we humans seem to have.”

Philippe Morin, the co-creator of grisly insane asylum ordeal Outlast, believes horror games have an even more compelling allure than frightening films and literature.

“For me, the difference is that those mediums make you feel scared, while a game actually makes you scared. Immersion is key. If a game makes you believe in its universe, than the horror becomes concrete.

“I think players want emotions,” he adds. “And with horror experiences, they get a range of emotions most games don’t give them. If pain makes you feel alive, then horror is the closest thing without having to be in actual physical pain.

“Maybe it’s also a way to remind yourself that your real life isn’t so bad!”

Raising the stakes

Resident Evil is one of the most commercially successful video game series of all time, having sold an estimated 66 million copies worldwide.

It certainly doesn’t appear that the popularity of horror games will decline anytime soon.

The seventh main instalment in the Resident Evil saga, set for release in January, appears to have gone back to its suspenseful, atmospheric roots; and will even place the player directly in the shoes of its protagonist, with a notable immersion-enhancing shift to a first-person perspective.

Seemingly drawing influence in style and tone from the likes of Amnesia and Outlast, the game will also be VR compatible – which should raise the fear stakes even further for those so inclined.