---
title: Neuroscience for Video Game Testing
description: Creating video games in alpha testing, beta testing and UX testing is essential to creating the games people love. With Lively, you can get real-time feedback on how each tester experienced the game with objective neuroscience data instead of surveys and self-reporting.
---

[A Lively Discussion](https://lively.cx/blog)

# [Neuroscience for Video Game Testing](https://lively.cx/blog/neuroscience-for-video-game-testing)

 Written by [Lively Team](https://lively.cx/blog/author/lively-team) | Oct 26, 2022 4:32:00 PM

> **Stop asking your testers to self-report. **
> 
> **Because they don't really know what they thought of your game.**
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> **Start measuring their neurological response with Lively. **
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> It’s nearly impossible to guess what people love. And traditional video game testing relies a lot on self-reported tester feedback. 
> 
> When testers play your game, they can't correctly identify which parts of it they loved or hated. And it’s not their fault they can’t give articulate their emotional responses!
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> It’s human nature for people to struggle with communicating how they truly feel about something.
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> Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman(2) showed that people can't describe what they like about something new.
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> So, people lie.
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> Not because they mean to - but because the human brain is not able to consciously report our unconscious emotional responses with any accuracy.
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> You wouldn’t ask your stomach to tell you how’s it’s been digesting lately or ask your liver if it liked that steak last night! And equally so – we cannot expect to consciously understand what our unconscious brains are doing.
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> You want to really understand what people love about your game? Or the things that frustrate them that you need to change?
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> You need to measure their brains directly. And, now you can. It’s super easy.
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> **Lively predicts market impact with over 80% accuracy during testing**
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> With Lively, testers wear a smartwatch or fitness sensor while playing your game. Lively reads subtle changes in their heartbeat to determine the presence of oxytocin and dopamine - the two neurochemicals present when someone is engaged, paying attention and connecting to your game. 
> 
> You can measure testers' brains in real time while they play so you know the exact moments of the game they loved . . .  or didn't . . . and you can iteratively improve for the highest level of connection with your players. 
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> Lively’s objective, predictive, and granular measures give you the superpower of objective, actionable feedback.
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> And the best part? These measurements have been scientifically proven to predict market impact by over 80%. 
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> With Lively and the predictive power of neuroscience – you will know exactly how well your game will do in the market. And how to optimize every detail. 
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>  
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> **How do you use Lively to optimize Video Game testing?**
> 
> Simple. You measure a specific neurologic state in your audience.
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> At Lively, we call this state Immersion, named for the neurologic state our founders discovered that powers our platform. Immersion induces the audiences' brains to release the attachment neurochemical oxytocin.
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> Very science-y, we know. But stay with us . . .
> 
> "Oxytocin increases perceptions of competence ... and participants are willing to pay more for products through its effect on competence. says published scientific research.[1](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.846234/full)
> 
> The release of oxytocin forms a physiologic attachment to your game. In other words, it causes people to fall in love - and pay more for - products and services.
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> When your testers experience peak immersion – you know for sure your game is a winner.
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>  
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> **How do you use Lively?**
> 
> It is so simple. You set up your game test and invite testers to wear a fitness sensor or smartwatch while they participate.
> 
> You and your team can log into the Lively platform and watch the data roll in to understand how the group’s brains are connecting or pulling back during use.
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> The real-time data show you the areas to explore more deeply to see exactly why people love or do not love in the game.
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> You can see moments of peak connection and moments of frustration or boredom. 
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> If you already collect eye-tracking data or video, Lively will automatically sync these inputs with Immersion so you can visualize what people's brains are feeling. 
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> At the end of testing, Lively generates a full, downloadable report of the moments of high and low immersion.
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> You can even tag key moments while they happen to identify unusual uses or odd experiences that impact how testers experience a new game.
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> Lively is the fastest and most effective way to improve in your game.
> 
> You get data that definitively explains what makes your product outstanding and what doesn't. This helps you go refine your product so it’s ready for market with zero guesswork.
> 
>  
> 
> **How do you get started?**
> 
> Want to use Lively in your testing phase to get clear, actionable next steps?
> 
> Drop us a note today for a free demo to see how easy it is to use Lively!
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> Want to stay in touch? [Join Lively's Newsletter](https://lively.cx/newsletter)!
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> 1: [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260589](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260589)
> 
> 2: Kahneman, D., & Snell, J. (1992). Predicting a changing taste: Do people know what they will like?. *Journal of Behavioral Decision Making*, *5*(3), 187-200.

[View full post](https://lively.cx/blog/neuroscience-for-video-game-testing)

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