Effects of Haptic Feedback on Gaming Experiences: A Case Study Comparing Players and Spectators in FPS Games

Haptic feedback has become a common feature in game experiences, yet little is known about how its effects differ between active players and passive spectators. This study investigated how haptic feedback influences user experience and technology acceptance in the context of first-person shooter (FPS) games, particularly by comparing its effects on active players and passive spectators. An experiment with 60 participants tested four conditions defined by two factors: haptic feedback (present vs. absent) and user role (player vs. spectator). The results showed that haptic feedback enhanced the intention to use games in both roles, with a stronger effect among spectators. Players’ intention was primarily driven by perceived enjoyment through a hedonic pathway, whereas spectators responded to both perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness through both hedonic and eudaimonic pathways. These findings highlight the need for role-sensitive haptic design and validate two pathways of the Haptic-Augmented Game Technology Acceptance Model (HAG-TAM) for gaming experiences.