Design Insights for Exploring Identity Bubbles with Alternate Reality Gameplay

To activate conscious reflection regarding personal identity and identity-building processes in our daily lives is an increasing social concern. With this aim, we designed an Alternate Reality Game that invites participants to collectively explore these themes. Participants played with a prototype, reflecting on identity through emergent dynamics from gameplay and interpersonal interactions. We analysed participants’ appropriation of the prototype through logged activity, direct observation and interviews. The patterns identified enabled iterative redesign and further exploration of interaction dynamics. From this process of discovery, we synthesised the following design insights that may guide further research in the field: 1) how to explore design-play-reflect as a co-design process supported on individual appropriation, 2) how ARG designs can become generative social theories, 3) how ARGs generate reflective social phenomena, such as varied social identity and power narratives, and 4) how ARG Design can open doors to balance power dynamics.