The past decade has shown that new technologies can have a profound impact on how we consume television and online video content. As technologies such as VR/AR, sensors, and smart voice assistants are maturing, it is becoming pertinent to study how they could influence the next generation of TV and video experiences. While some experiments already incorporate one or more of these technologies, a systematic study into user expectations for these new technologies has not yet been conducted. In this paper, we present the results of a co-creation session resulting in two future video watching scenarios visualized using storyboards: one presenting a hyper-personalized experience based on the automatic recognition of emotions, and another one presenting an immersive experience using Virtual and Augmented Reality. We conclude with user evaluations of both concepts, offering insights in the opportunities and challenges these concepts could bring for the future of television and video experiences.

Background. Several HCI researchers have started to use game design elements in their research to create playful methods for involving end-users in design. Similar to serious games, such research games serve a dual purpose: 1) to create an enjoyable experience for research participants, and 2) to collect user insights to inform the design process. Aim. We propose that the Serious Game Design Assessment (SGDA) Framework, that evaluates both a game’s enjoyable purposes and its serious purposes, may be a valuable tool in assessing and developing research games. In this article, we apply the SGDA Framework to three existing research games, one involving train passengers in assessing potential future user experiences, one involving hospital staff in ideation for wearable technology, and one involving TV viewers in ideation for future video watching scenarios. Conclusion. The assessment of the three research games suggests that the framework is indeed applicable to research games and may, as such, provide HCI researchers with clear guidance when creating new research games.