Exploring how preference and perceived performance vary in different game genres across time of day

Time of day effects have been observed for the last five decades in cognitive tasks, athletic performance, and even ethical behavior. However, in the context of games, little is known about how time of day influences preference or performance. We present a first study (N=504) to explore how preference and perceived performance vary over the course of the day, by game genre. We find that the genres First-Person Shooter and Other RPG are more popular at 6 p.m. to midnight. Conversely, the genres Puzzle and Board/Card were less popular at 6 p.m. to midnight. However, 6 a.m. to noon is a more popular time for Puzzle and Board / Card. Performance-wise, players feel they are more successful in First-Person Shooter games from 6 p.m. to midnight, and less successful at all other times. On the other hand, players feel they are more successful in Puzzle games from 6 a.m. to noon, and less successful from 6 p.m. to midnight. These inter-genre differences have a basis in the literature, which has postulated that cognitive function gradually declines throughout the day, but that athletic performance peaks in the evening along with core body temperature.

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