Hi, I’m Sabrina! My multitude of interests led me to pursue a degree in Professional Communication, and I am honoured to be part of this year’s graduating class. In my time at TMU, I developed an interest in web design and visual communications, in addition to my prior interest in written communications and storytelling.
I chose my capstone topic because I’m tired of the simplistic narrative that video games are bad and make gamers aggressive. Not only can they be an art form, just like any film or written work, but video games have the potential for good. For example, the emerging genre of cozy games has provided an avenue for both new and veteran gamers to unwind and feel good, and this is what my research hones in on.
Looking ahead, there are many fields I would be happy to work in, but I currently have my sights set on the video game industry. Whatever I do, I hope to merge my creative interests with my professional ones.
Research Summary
This research project investigates whether cozy games positively affect emotional well-being and stress levels in the short-term, and which game elements contribute to this result. If these things can be discerned, video games can be developed in the future specifically to help players, with therapeutic effects in mind.
Cozy games are a genre of video game usually characterized by soft visuals, soothing music, simple mechanics, and gameplay that is not very fast-paced. Through thematic and latent analysis of Reddit posts discussing cozy games, my research outlines what makes cozy games cozy, and which elements — gameplay, music, visuals, and more — impact well-being.
