While most other systems examine why people play games (that is, their motivation), the GAIN model (Gameplay Activity Inventory) approaches the issue from a completely different angle. It focuses on what players actually do in games and which specific gameplay activities they enjoy. The authors of this model believe that, for understanding players, it is more important to study their style of play and interaction with the game itself than their internal motivations alone.

The researchers developed this system with great rigor. They analyzed 700 game reviews and 166 game manuals in order to identify all possible activities a player can perform. From these hundreds of activities, they created a questionnaire, which they tested on thousands of players in Canada and Japan. This allowed them to determine that gameplay experiences revolve around five main areas of activity: Assault, Manage, Journey, Care, and Coordinate.

What makes the GAIN model unique is that it does not construct a player profile solely based on what players like, but also on what they dislike or feel indifferent toward. The model works with the idea that our play style is also defined by our aversions. For example, a player may love exploring the game world while simultaneously strongly disliking direct combat. Only this combination of preferred and disliked activities creates a truly realistic player profile.

Based on these five areas, the researchers did identify six player types (such as the Mercenary, the Acrobat, or the Explorer), but they found that these types are not entirely stable over time. For this reason, psychology more often works directly with the five activity categories themselves. Instead of simply “boxing” players into a fixed type, the system provides a detailed map of what they enjoy and what, on the contrary, discourages them from playing. This approach better reflects how our gaming habits change over the course of life.