Not sure what I think about this, other than I think I should think about this some more. Because it seems important. But I’m kinda tired right now.
https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/11/20/why-we-play-how-our-desire-for-games-shapes-our-world.aspx
Mercy main here, personal “fun”:
1.Feel that you needed and appreciated. 33%
2. independent (kinda ) movement across battle field 33%
3. Show off (guilty) as battle mercy during valk 33%
4. Winning 1%
what i would say about fun as far as OW is concerned:
everybody has a different definition of what that is and is therefor not something you can try to achieve (if youre a dev)
unfun is likewise also not something you can define, but the difference is with enough feedback you can at least say “ok, there is something here…we can try something else” - not unlike every single hero rework, and even the whole 6v6 thing…hopefully what you replace the “unfun” thing with is found to be “fun”
many people make it as hard as possible for themselves to have fun. youll find people that need certain heroes to be played, certain maps, certain comps, certain game modes, a specific result, etc etc…basically so many things need to happen for them to have fun that they can never actually have it
and lastly - for as much as people continuously say the game is not fun…if that was the case you wouldnt actually be playing - clearly something is fun if you are (or you got something majorly wrong going on inside your noggin)
Most people equate to not being dead as fun. When you are losing you are dead more often than alive.
They also like not getting hit which is why most people will never be tank players because tanks are always going to get hit.
I mean I could tell you all about how your Mercy playtime is related to Spaghetti sauce.
When you are gratified than it’s fun whether you lose or win. Fun gives you a sense of pleasure, satisfaction, and fulfillment of individual experience. Then there are some who never experience validations no matter win or loss because they didn’t feel celebrated therefore they interpret is as rejection of their individual efforts.
Theris only one “pleasure” state but it triggers by 3 different neuromediators:
Dopamine–learning, improving, desires (be in top 500 for example)
Serotonin-- winning (satisfaction when you reached goal)
Oxytocin – taking care, petting puppies.
During life time every person has the same pattern of what is most important: dopamine (childhood) - Serotonin (adult) - Oxytocin (post middle age crisis).
P.s.Best spaghetti is one that covered with cheese only 
6v6 openq fun: is when every match is unique, and you don’t know what new combinations of team abilities will appear and how you will react to them.
5v5 roleq depression: the scenario of each match is known at the moment the map splash screen appears. You already know how you will behave in the game so you don’t get toxic lines in teamchat. The number of combinations of abilities is strictly limited. You play this dump because you’re used to it, like bubblegum that lost its flavor long ago .
Mercy : I am a beautiful butterfly
Junkrat: If i bounce a bomb at this angle, it will go there. and if i hit myself up, i can launch a bomb over there…
Mei: hehe, you go slow now.
Rivals really made me realise how much I miss OW 6v6 open queue, and all the shenanigans that come along with it.
Hah! Perfect analogy for my thoughts on this game. Wow I’m going to have to use that one.