Player Trust in Location-Based Games is Built on Four Key Relationships
Trust in location-based games is a multifaceted construct, influenced by player interactions with the game system, other players, the local community, and even non-players.
Academic Publication · 2026
Key Findings
- 01Trust is established across four key relationships: player-system, player-player, player-community, and player-non-player.
- 02Five aspects of trust are critical: fair play, location privacy, online vetting, hybrid interaction, and public play.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers must proactively address trust across all stakeholder interactions within location-based games, not just between the player and the system.
How to apply
When designing a new location-based game, map out all potential trust relationships (player-system, player-player, player-community, player-non-player) and design features to foster trust in each.
Project actions
- 01When researching user experience, consider all the people who might be affected by a design, not just the primary user.
- 02Think about how your design might impact public spaces and the people who use them.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a nuanced model for understanding trust in a specific, growing genre of interactive technology.
- +Offers practical design implications for developers of location-based games.
Limitations
It can be challenging to directly measure trust. The study relies on qualitative data, which may not be generalizable to all user groups or game types.
Reliability & validity
The use of reflexive thematic analysis allows for a deep exploration of participant experiences, enhancing the validity of the findings. However, the qualitative nature and relatively small sample size may limit generalizability, impacting external validity. Reliability could be improved through inter-rater reliability checks on the thematic analysis.
Think critically
How might the design of a location-based game inadvertently create distrust among non-players or the local community, and what design interventions could mitigate this?
Design Principles
"Design for multifaceted trust by considering the entire ecosystem of interactions surrounding a location-based experience."
Understanding these diverse trust dynamics is crucial for designers of location-based games. By addressing concerns related to fairness, privacy, and safety across all these relationships, designers can foster a more engaging and sustainable player experience.
What This Means for Your Design
For games that use your real-world location, players need to trust the game, other players, and even people around them. Designers should think about how to make sure everyone feels safe and treated fairly.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the identified trust relationships (player-system, player-player, player-community, player-non-player) as a framework for user research in your design project.
- 2.Analyze how your design choices might impact these different trust dynamics.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2026). Understanding the Dynamics of Trust in Location-Based Games as Hybrid Spaces: The Players' Perspective. Academic Publication. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3790587 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/7bfbf193-609d-480a-9dc2-826145d8a9d2/player-trust-in-location-based-games-is-built-on-four-key-relationships
Paragraph starter
This research indicates that for location-based interactive systems, trust is a complex interplay between the user and the system, other users, the local community, and even bystanders. A successful design must therefore consider and actively foster trust across all these relationships, addressing concerns such as fair play, data privacy, and safe public interaction to ensure a positive and sustainable user experience.
Source
Academic Publication
Understanding the Dynamics of Trust in Location-Based Games as Hybrid Spaces: The Players' Perspective
journal · 2026
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about player trust in location-based games is built on four key relationships?
- Designers must proactively address trust across all stakeholder interactions within location-based games, not just between the player and the system. Evidence: Academic Publication (2026).
- Why does "Player Trust in Location-Based Games is Built on Four Key Relationships" matter for design?
- Understanding these diverse trust dynamics is crucial for designers of location-based games. By addressing concerns related to fairness, privacy, and safety across all these relationships, designers can foster a more engaging and sustainable player experience.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers must proactively address trust across all stakeholder interactions within location-based games, not just between the player and the system.
- What were the main findings?
- Trust is established across four key relationships: player-system, player-player, player-community, and player-non-player.. Five aspects of trust are critical: fair play, location privacy, online vetting, hybrid interaction, and public play.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research (in-depth interviews and thematic analysis) with 26 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2026 journal from Academic Publication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new location-based game, map out all potential trust relationships (player-system, player-player, player-community, player-non-player) and design features to foster trust in each.
- What are the limitations?
- Findings are based on player self-reports and may be influenced by individual biases. The study focused on specific games, and trust dynamics might vary across different genres or mechanics.
- Is there evidence that location-based games affects design outcomes?
- Players' trust in location-based games depends on how they perceive fairness, privacy, and interactions with the game itself, other players, and the wider public. Understanding these diverse trust dynamics is crucial for designers of location-based games. By addressing concerns related to fairness, privacy, and safety Source: Academic Publication (2026).
- Where does this trust location-based research apply?
- Location-based games (e.g., Pokémon GO, Monster Hunter Now, Ingress, Pikmin Bloom) It sits within user-centred design research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
location-based games design research · evidence on location-based games · does location-based games improve design outcomes · trust location-based studies for designers · location-based games and trust location-based findings · user-centred design research evidence