Immersion, flow and the experiences of game players

Immersion — also described as engagement, involvement, presence, or a sense of 'being there' in a virtual environment — is widely considered to be a desirable element of instructional computer games and simulations, but the experience is poorly understood. This paper provides some insights into the nature of immersion obtained from a qualitative study of the flow experiences of computer game players. Flow is an enjoyable state of intense mental focus that is sometimes experienced by individuals who are engaged in a challenging activity.