Visual Novel Genre as a Method of the Sociability Development

Nowadays the time for direct contacts between people is getting shorter, communication is increasingly going online, requiring special skills from those participating in it. And so there is a need for methods of developing one's sociability, both real and virtual as a response to digitalization. The work presents the results of experimental and empirical examinations of a visual novel genre video game seen as a method of the sociability development. We have employed the following research techniques: ‘forming’ experiment, self-observation, testing and surveying. The research was conducted remotely, with 654 male participants aged 14-35. The research results indicate no positive effect of using visual novel genre video games in order to increase the sociability level. However, there is a possibility for a visual novel genre game to be used in order to develop skills of online communication. The research gives details of the videogame progressing process as well as the dynamics of the subjects' emotional state. The results can be used both for further research and for online psychological counseling.

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