How to measure and model QoE for networked games?

In this paper, we investigate methodologies for modeling quality of experience (QoE) for networked video games, focusing on massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and using Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft (WoW) as a case study. In two user studies, involving a total of 104 players, we investigate system, user, and context parameters and evaluate their impact on QoE and related quality features. We also discuss some methodological questions related to measuring gaming QoE, which can be used as guidelines for future gaming QoE studies. We further analyze a set of quality metrics “beyond MOS”. Having evaluated different modeling techniques, we present and evaluate four linear statistical models and three (non-linear) machine learning models for estimating MMORPG QoE. Finally, we make our datasets available to the research community to foster further analysis and reproducibility of results.