Similar but not the same: application of EEG frontal alpha asymmetry to game research

In this study we investigate the efficacy of frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) to  differentiate between successful and unsuccessful games. Participants (N = 27) came to the lab setting on two occasions, playing one commercially available game on each visit while being measured by electroencephalography (EEG). The results revealed that FAA can be successfully used to differentiate between games, even when the differences between them are too small to be captured by self-report methods. The differences in the elicited FAA in two games correlated with the differences in player behavior measured immediately after the game sessions. However, FAA was not related to the enjoyment reported by the players.