Frustration Buddy: Using An Interactive Stress Ball to Control Frustration in Online Games

Players of online video games often experience frustration during their gaming sessions, for example, because of the competitive nature, high pressure, or toxic behaviors of others. Managing this frustration is important but often difficult because games are designed to keep players' attention and engagement. In this interactivity, we reflect on the design process of Frustration Buddy, a novel system for managing frustration in online games. We leverage the concept of distraction by using light and sound signals to transfer a player's frustration to a smart stress ball device. By moving their frustration from the stressor to a soothing device, we enable them to regain control over their emotions. By managing these complex emotions, we prevent the loss of enjoyment in the video game and could potentially prevent that frustration escalates into other more serious harms like toxic behavior.