How it is conducted
Respondents complete a questionnaire containing a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions.

What it does
Enables the collection of comprehensive and structured information from players by asking each participant the same set of questions.

Restrictions
No possibility to ask clarifying questions to uncover the underlying motives of the player's responses;
The total number of questions should not exceed 50-100, excluding questions related to the personal data of the player.

How it is conducted
Private conversation according to a previously prepared form with questions that allows asking clarifying questions.

What it does
Identifying the underlying motives of the player, including directly in the moment during gameplay.

Restrictions
A lot of not structured information
A result depends on the level of interviewer's preparation

How it is conducted
Private conversation according to a previously prepared plan of conversation with an expert in a specific area.

What it does
Allows for obtaining an assessment of the game and its perspectives based on the professional experience of a competent specialist in a specific market, platform, or genre. The expert serves as a valuable source of knowledge, saving time and helping to avoid known mistakes.

Restrictions
Subjective nature of the information received
Low probability of forming a breakthrough solution

How it is conducted
A group conversation of 6-10 representatives of the target audience with elements of discussion, facilitated by a moderator according to a predefined discussion plan or guide. The FGI typically lasts for 1-2 hours and should be recorded. The moderator guides the discussion, ensuring that all participants have an equal opportunity to share their opinions. They encourage less active participants to contribute and manage the participation of more dominant individuals through personalized questions and facilitating equal opportunities for speaking.

What it does
Enables wide and in-depth research of the topic at hand by tapping into the insights, explanations, scripts, and models generated by members of the target audience themselves. The discussion aims to uncover how users form their experiences with the product (game), criteria for game selection, attitudes towards different game mechanics, reference groups, information sources, gaming platforms, and playing conditions. It also explores participants' perceptions and criteria for what they consider to be the characteristics of the best and worst games within the category.

Restrictions
The data obtained may be unstructured, requiring careful analysis and interpretation;
There is a possibility of participants conforming to the opinions of the group, making it challenging for individuals with dissenting views to express themselves;
The outcome of the FGI heavily relies on the skills and qualifications of the moderator.

How it is conducted
Respondents are specifically instructed to provide commentary on their thoughts, assessments, judgments, decisions, and expressions during the game session. Audio and video recordings are made of the gaming process, capturing the players' comments, thoughts, assessments, judgments, decisions, and expressions.

What it does
Enables valuable insight into participants' real-time experiences and cognitive processes as they engage with the game. The method allows for a deeper understanding of their thoughts and reactions.

Restrictions
Perception and often formulated solutions are distorted and are not good for analysis compared to usual game session because of strong pressure on the respondent. The problem is located for the further research with the other methods.

How it is conducted
The process involves recording the screen of the gaming device, controllers, and the respondent's face simultaneously, split-screen.

What it does
Allows for the analysis of gameplay, including the player's behavior in important situations, and helps identify the factors that generate positive and negative emotions during the game.

Restrictions
Special hardware is required to capture the screen, controllers, and player's face simultaneously;
Shows mainly the strongest emotions, while weaker emotional responses may not be as apparent due to the player's high concentration.

How it is conducted
The observer records reactions and observations during the game session in a prepared form, noting the time, game situations, and players' reactions.

What it does
Captures external reactions during the game session, including body position, intensity of interaction with the game, comments, and behavior at key points such as winning, losing, unlocking, etc.

Restrictions
Players may require some time to adapt to the presence of an observer, which could potentially affect their behavior;
Emotional reactions may be subject to internal filtration, resulting in unnatural or moderated reactions during certain game moments.

How it is conducted
A researcher actively participates in the project alongside the players, incognito as a regular player, and follows a predetermined script. After the group of players completes their participation, the observer immediately writes down their observations in a prepared form.

What it does
The opportunity to gain new insights and a deeper understanding of the players' subculture through partially controlled conversations with representatives of the target audience. It allows for maximum sincerity from the players.

Restrictions
Due to the lack of formalization, data collection may be incomplete, and there may be partial or total disruption of the monitoring conditions when the observer's true identity is revealed.

How it is conducted
The sample is divided into equal parts based on the number of study options. Ideally, each respondent is exposed to each option in a specific order, with a unique rotation of options within each subgroup. It is important to ensure that each option is presented an equal number of times at each point in the order to avoid experience accumulation during the research.

What it does
Enables comparison of different options for specific aspects such as game mechanics, control models, art styles, titles, and more.

Restrictions
Limited to a maximum of 5 options for effective comparison;
Requires a large sample size for statistical significance.