The impact of game character identification on otome game players’ mate selection criteria

As a type of simulation love game, otome games provide women players with an immersive and sweet romantic experience, which may have a subtle impact on their mate selection criteria. In order to explore the impact of game character identification on the mate selection criteria of women gamers, a survey was conducted with 351 women otome game players. The study found that there was a pairwise positive correlation between the game character identification, self-presence, character attachment, and mate selection criteria of women players. Furthermore, chain mediation model analysis revealed that game character identification indirectly affected mate selection criteria through the chain mediation of self-presence and character attachment, as well as the independent mediation of character attachment.