Persistence and Evolution Within Interactive Design: An Integrated Approach to ICT Innovations in Emergent Game Narratives

Abstract

Video games, as interactive artifacts within the continuum of information and communication technology (ICT), encapsulate an ontological inquiry: which mechanism maintains user engagement while evolving with ICT-driven innovations? How is this mechanism structured within video games in the competitive industry? This study analyzes the emergent narrative of the Animal Crossing franchise, focusing on the interplay between persistence and evolution, aligning with our inquiry by examining how technological integration, interactive design, and player agency co-construct narrative adaptations across generations. Employing an integrated approach, we introduced the ENSF framework to analyze emergent narrative mechanisms. On this basis, the qualitative walkthrough method and quantitative unsupervised learning methods—principal component analysis and VADER techniques—were used to examine narrative flow, linguistic metrics, and sentiment tendencies across four game generations and official materials (N = 37). This study contributes to (a) establishing the structural emergent narrative simulation framework (ENSF) delineating the narrative techniques’ interrelations—simulation, orientations, story events, resolutions, evaluations, and characters; and (b) interpreting how narrative mechanisms within interactive design balance persistence with evolution, proving that ICT innovations comply with player agency reinforcement. These discoveries establish a hermeneutic proposal identifying the socio-technological characteristics of interactive communications in video game design, emphasizing the dynamic balance within innovative gaming environments.

1. Introduction

Over recent decades, information and communication technology (ICT) has been instrumental in transitioning contemporary societies into an information-based ecosystem, in which technologies reshape how individuals manage and disseminate information while facilitating synchronous communications [1,2]. In this context, emerging ICTs in strategic areas such as education, health, governance, and the economy are increasingly recognized for their role in facilitating the delivery of interactive content. Scholars indicate that it is the dynamic interaction enabled by ICT that drives effective interventions, innovations, and improvements in these sectors [2]. Specifically, this recognition underlines the importance of interactive design in leveraging ICT for societal benefit.

Given that ICT has been experiencing transformations in communication, the digital gaming industry, which congregates technological foundations and interactive recreation, constitutes a pertinent model for observing technological innovations in this culturally intricate artifact [3,4]. Inherently, video games demonstrate how digital communication technologies operate within the ICT framework while processing enhanced narratives for enriching user interfaces [3,4,5]. In consequence, adaptive video game narratives driven by ICT innovations have precipitated interactive design into a broader technological context.

These contemporary transitions require explorations into the dynamics between human interactions and digital narrative construction. Specifically, the narrative-driven catalysts of augmented immersion and participation in these experiences remain awaiting further elucidations [5].

Prompted by the reevaluations regarding interactive narratives, the evolving interactive designs have increasingly focused on burgeoning characteristics of narrative, specifically on the embedded human–computer interactions within digital narrative construction [5,6]. This growing interest is unsurprising, as interactive design incentives players to actively involve in structural narrative facilitated by techniques and relevant technological innovation; thus, this hybrid engagement associates with decentralized agency of players [7,8]. Reinforcing this perspective, El-Nasr [9] applies performance art theory to the video game context, supporting that the application of adaptive dramatic techniques effectively amplifies narrative interaction. In this context, the digital system generates and presents narrative in response to players’ input and external critiques, forming an integral interactive experience [7,8]. As a result, the narrative fluidly responds to player actions, maintaining engagement through techniques influenced by dramatic principles [9]. Riedl and Bulitko [7] further corroborate that the interactive narratives result in fostering players’ agency over story development and a deeper immersion into the virtual world.

Deducing from these ramifications, player agency inevitably orients the interpretation of narratives. Propp [8] contends that, besides the fact that players’ cognitive perceptions of narrative meaning vary greatly depending on the context, antecedently existing narrative techniques also manipulate players’ interpretation imperceptibly. In other words, actions that appear as story techniques have been shaped by designers in the form of embedding in surrounding plots, ending up leveraging narrative functions [10]. For instance, a seemingly simple act may be deemed as an act of villainy in one context, while in opposite evaluating frames, it may be regarded as a heroic deed. Such contextual framing demonstrates how narrative techniques deliver meanings through their cooperation with the broader story structure [6].

Correspondingly, given that players engage with games by interacting with the narrative mechanism, we suggest that the narrative techniques of video games are deeply intertwined with ICT innovations and player agency. In light of this assertion, Ryan [11] highlights the challenges of human–computer interactions faced by interactive narratives sequences, particularly in balancing player agency with the constraints of a precomputed storyline. Despite the fact that interactive narratives may activate players’ participation, they simultaneously bring forward challenges in equilibrating players’ extensive agency with the pre-scripted storyline enacted by designers [6,11]. Stang [12] further critiques this, arguing that the agency inherently carries an illusory quality due to the limited choices available within the narrative framework, ultimately restricting true player agency. In essence, the central controversial issue is situated in the paradox of interactivity facilitated by ICTs, including updated consoles and improved narrative and graphical fidelity. Louchart et al. [13] explain this paradox as the tension between authorial control over a narrative’s direction and the autonomy of users to participate and influence the unfolding story in interactive environments. In this context, the increasing immersion and social interactivity enabled by ICT-driven mobile game design may inadvertently lead to compulsive or excessive engagement among younger players. Yang and Gong [14] examine this engagement addiction dilemma through the lens of mobile game affordance and user interface quality, identifying symptoms such as emotional overdependence, prolonged play sessions, and social withdrawal. These problematic behaviors trigger ethical concerns regarding how to balance game design affordances, interface complexity, and the player’s capacity for self-regulation.

Confronted with the above dilemmas, Jenkins [15] endorses emergent narrative, which develops according to players’ choices in an authoring context. In the context of this study, we adopt the definition of emergent narrative as a structured and environment-driven approach to game design that integrates layered elements such as settings, roles, interactions, and events [13,15]. This type of narrative structure is characterized by players’ authority, which is manifested through interactions that shape the storyline. Specifically, players’ choices and actions directly contribute to constructing the narrative architecture [13,15]. This environment provides players with a cognitive space in which they interpret information to engage in the construction of the storyline. The process grants players elevated autonomy compared to interactive narratives, where designers conduct linear sequence in a bottom-up manner, transforming themselves from storytellers to narrative construction supervisors [12,15,16]. In our study, we integrate interactive agency of players as a crucial component of emergent narrative progression, particularly in gaming contexts where narrative and interactivity are often viewed as conflicting forces [5].

Concretely, aiming to reify the nature of emergent narratives, scholars specify two fundamental features that define their dynamic interplay: persistence and evolution. Persistence guarantees the coherence of the narrative structure across multiple gaming sessions, while evolution enables those narratives to develop and react to the player’s intentions and ICT innovations [17,18]. Gustafsson et al. [17] link appropriate levels of persistence that responds to players’ capacities for affecting the game world, noting how game developers can use persistence to promote narrative coherence and allow players to develop the narrative features. Consequently, the gaming space is transformed from static to dynamic and reactive, and players are engaged in a developing narrative that adapts while preserving its clear coherence. Floricel and Dougherty [18] describe evolution as a gradual process bounded by these persistent structures, where change is meaningful and adds depth to the long-term narrative prospect in innovative gaming environments.

However, scant attention to narrative design continuity and evolution has been given in the context of franchise games, a series of games that include certain narrative socio-technological features [19]. Nakamura and Tosca [20] advance a case study of a franchise game to investigate the promise of transmedia narrative strategies. They examine the relationship between video games and other media forms of entertainment to promote the argument that when forms fuse, they enhance the gaming experience. In accordance with their perspectives, our study aims to examine the essence of sustained franchise enthusiasm, highlighting how narrative techniques in information and communication technology are integral to their enduring appeal across player generations.

In conclusion, this study illustrates the interplay between narrative persistence and evolution, emphasizing the adaptations of structural narrative techniques to accommodate transformations driven by ICT innovations and growing player agency. Through a rigorous examination of emergent narrative techniques across franchise generations, we have identified key aspects of narrative evolution underpinned by expressive ideologies [21]. This study not only aims to explore the balance between narrative continuity and technological innovation within the franchise, but also highlights the critical role of dynamic techniques in sustaining the interplay between narrative construction and technological progression. To this end, we established a novel framework to depict the mechanism of emergent narrative, acknowledging the structure of dimensional narrative techniques. Subsequently, this study employs a two-fold analysis, incorporating the qualitative walkthrough method with quantitative Coh-Metrix measurements and unsupervised learning techniques—principal component analysis and VADER—to delve into the narrative design in the video game industry. The study particularly examines how emergent narratives evolve through linguistic patterns, sentiment tendencies, and structural adaptations in response to player interactions and technological advancements.

2. Literature Review

An increasing amount of recent research explores the integration of persistence and evolution of video games, exploring their emergent characteristics, constructions, and underlying implications. In this section, we begin by reviewing persistence and evolution in emergent narrative for deepening understanding of the processes of narrative construction across game franchises. Next, we address the frameworks for linguistic and structural analysis which facilitate a comprehensive perspective on emergent narratives. Finally, we develop our research questions and structural narrative framework on the basis of critical references that focus on the coherence and dynamics of emergent narrative, while highlighting the limited attention given to transformations across game franchises.

This review consequently establishes a foundation for subsequent examinations of how narrative techniques within franchises achieve the balance between continuity and innovation, offering insights into the dynamic relationships that sustain narrative identity amid technological innovations.

2.1. Persistence in Narrative

In academia, researchers’ focuses on the persistence of narrative design have stemmed from the field of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Zhang et al. [22] assert that it is fundamental in providing the necessary technical support for recovering and sustaining dynamic data, especially after technical failures. From an experimental standpoint, persistence incorporates advanced ICT technologies (e.g., database storage, tracking dynamic updates, and executing approximate strategies) which are critical to ensuring game continuity. These infrastructures are the mechanisms that provide persistent affordances for all player interactions, including actions, movements, and events, which also advances interactive narration. Anderson et al. [23] extend the discussion of persistence from a psychological perspective and argue that persistence plays a central role in the skill development in games. They suggest that players’ persistent attempts to approach more complex digital environments are informed by persistence, which allows for the continual ability to develop and practice skills over time.

Extending previous contributions, Gustafsson et al. [17] present persistence as both a technical orientation and an agency of emergent narratives in video games. Their narrative substrates theory, or persistent agency, stabilizes player actions to persist as an interactive technique within the game, affording players an enduring footprint in the game world. This framing [17] extends beyond traditional pre-inscribed narratives, allowing the game to develop based on the player’s action. By preserving traces of player activities, this framework utilizes ICT to bridge the gap between technical infrastructure and narrative depth, enhancing both player engagement and the game’s dynamic storytelling potential.

Our study therefore critically considers persistence as a dimension that transcends its technical origins, focusing on its function in shaping and keeping narrative continuity throughout a chain of video games. In the following research questions, we study how persistent features, along with narrative arcs that reply to unfolding storylines and present corresponding statuses [7], thematic elements, and global building are transmitted for the process of a franchise, ensuring players’ coherent and immersive involvement in evolutionary durations.

2.2. Evolution Within Emergent Narrative

In essence, explorations into the design of emergent narratives correspond with the evolving nature of narrative research, especially by addressing the dynamic and adaptive transitions. Bruce et al. [24] exploit the intrinsic tendency of narrative research through their longitudinal study in social sciences. They highlight how divergences from initial designs result in unexpected opportunities for deeper information, and this emphasis resonates with the uncertainty of emergent narrative shaped by players’ choices. By drawing on numerous recorded data assets, including textual materials and oral histories, and utilizing inductive methodologies like semi-structured interviews and observations, their advocation of synergies to developing data leads to a nuanced exploration of evolving narrative traits. Bruce et al. detail that narrative systems reflect the fluid and converting nature of personal experiences, presenting pre-determined perspectives on complicated social dynamics and human company. In this context, understanding how personal identities interact with broader contextual effects to co-assemble emergent narratives resonates with ongoing research into the variation of narrative methodologies [25].

Applying theoretical frameworks to gaming industry implementations, identifying traits of evolution in the context of narrative inquiry [24], we strive to discern varied manifestations of evolution within the digital gaming realm. Primarily, ICT advancements in regard to hardware (consoles, assistive devices) and software (cloud-based gaming, extended reality, narrative algorithms, and computer graphics) have significantly transformed the delivery and experiences of video game narratives [2,3]. These technologies allow for a more immersive and interactive engagement, enabling players to physically and emotionally connect with the game world in unprecedented ways [4].

In line with enhanced players’ gaming experiences, emergent narratives are basically characterized by their ability to relate preferred stories that are enriched by players’ specific qualifications [26]. Lee et al. [27] emphasize how human complex alternatives align, especially with respect to the vital surrogate survival that barely appears in their real life. Furthermore, cognitive faculties developed over millennia for storytelling allow humans to replicate a myriad of experiences while relieving some of the cognitive load associated with understanding even the most complicated contexts [11]. The ability to cognitively engage within narrative worlds not only adds fun and enjoyment, but also a way to adapt when facing novel experiences in a relatively risk-free environment. The engagement with these narrative experiences serves to evoke a perception of strong presence, giving the user some sense of connection with the virtual world where their experiences unfold [27]. Through both complicated narratives and interactive gaming structures, players become engaged as they consider themselves participants or playable agents within the story [28]. Naul and Liu suggest that engaging in programs with this level of agency embedded fuels ongoing continued engagement, producing a virtuous cycle regarding the implications of engagement through emergent narrative and non-linear interactivity.

Considering broader practical implications, Arango-López et al. [29] decompose the integration of narrative architecture with ICT dynamics by introducing the pervasive game design platform. The operation of the CREANDO platform involves four stages—narrative scripting, mixed-reality world design, rule-based gameplay structuring, and player experience calibration. As a result, narratives unfold in a real-world context that responds to player’s location and context. This framework elucidates the evolving intersection of ICT and narrative engagement, denoting that the narrative transformations within pervasive games operate simultaneously as educational mechanisms. Consistent with the evaluation of evolutional video game design, Kuo et al. [19] specifically assess how improvements in technology, narrative complexity, and gameplay integration have altered the player experience. Technological progress in graphic realism has deepened immersion, but it sometimes overwhelms players with unnecessary detail. Simultaneously, the rise of complex narrative structure provides players with more control while emphasizing that psychological cues can reduce the escapism associated with gaming. Nevertheless, increased realism and interactivity scale down the players’ enjoyment with overwhelming choices [19].

Within the digital era, narrative mechanics evolve in tandem with technological advancements such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as foundational game engines [28]. This evolution demonstrates how technological innovations are intricately woven into gameplay and narrative, allowing franchises to adapt to evolving player expectations while preserving their foundational identity. Moreover, we investigate whether game narrative elements co-interact with each other and how persistence and evolution co-exist within franchise video games. These aspects are explored in greater depth in the Research Questions section.

2.3. Balancing Persistence and Evolution in Franchise Narratives

In franchise narratives, balancing persistence and evolution entails maintaining narrative coherence while responding to evolving participant expectations and technological progress. Scholars have examined the above dimensions from identifications evoked by main characters and successive adaptations throughout the franchise [30,31,32]. Nonetheless, in regard to organizing external influences impacting narrative construction, a research gap exists. Research on Assassin’s Creed considers how maintaining familiar narrative structures contributes to a long-term engagement in a participatory process, even when dislocating from cultural contexts. Root-Williams et al. [30] examine queer identities representation across multiple titles and suggest that these types of franchises do provide culturally relevant updates, while still remaining within a core narrative structure. Eklund and Zanescu [31] also account for gender representations in Assassin’s Creed, demonstrating the need to contextualize character representations due to social changes, but still try to uphold a sense of continuity in narrative structures.

As a frame of comparison, the LEGO franchise makes another case of adaptability across different formats by leveraging its brand presence. Wolf [32] describes how LEGO achieves continuity by extending its reach into various formats, including console games, mobile applications, and even print and manga representations, while reaching various audiences and narrative themes.

The Animal Crossing franchise continues to adhere to the pursuit of persistence and change based on transmedia constituents across Nintendo-based gaming platforms, mobile systems, and manga adaptations. Each transfer retains its signature gameplay and narratives to preserve continuity, while establishing adaptations to account for evolving technology and social changes, which aids the franchise in recognizing audience expectations and creating consistent forms of expressions as an distinct franchise.

2.4. Related Approaches and Frameworks

To investigate how emergent narratives sustain continuity while accommodating technological evolution and deepening player engagement, it is essential to examine the frameworks that enable a structured understanding of narrative persistence and adaptability within game franchises. A review of content analysis methods and analytical models (see

Table 1. Summaries of frameworks and their applicable contexts.

Source	Narrative Focus	Research Method	Result
Van Krieken et al. [33]	Player’s identification with narrative characters is a multidimensional experience that can be measured by linguistic cues.	Content analysis. Distinguishing six linguistic dimensions in identification process.	Identifying six linguistic dimensions that shape the identification process: spatiotemporal, perceptual, cognitive, moral, emotional, and embodied dimensions.
Sanders and Van Krieken [34]	The role of narrative structure and hero enactment in brand stories, focusing on archetypal roles and outcomes (catharsis, phronesis).	Content analysis of audiovisual brand stories. Coding hero archetypes and event structures.	Identifying differences in consumer engagement based on plot types: singular plots evoke catharsis (emotional pleasure), while embedded plots evoke phronesis (moral reflection).
Lindley [35]	The integration of simulation, gameplay, and narrative in video games and the tensions between them.	Structural analysis focusing on interactive narrative layers. Examining how simulation, gameplay, and narrative elements interact to support cohesive storytelling in games.	Establishing a framework where narrative and gameplay are layered as simulation, gameplay, and narrative. Allowing complex player interaction with a cohesive story structure.
Gustafsson et al. [17]	How narrative substrates integrate players’ actions into persistent game worlds, creating lasting narrative elements.	Iterative user feedback and interviews with players and designers. Behavior analysis of player interactions with persistent elements.	Developing the narrative substrates framework, enabling player actions to become story artifacts, embracing persistent, interactive narrative elements.
Riedl & Bulitko [7]	The role of AI in interactive narrative, balancing user agency and coherent story progression.	Literature review and taxonomy of interactive narrative approaches, focusing on AI-driven narrative frameworks, namely authorial intent, virtual character autonomy, and player modeling.	Identifying three approaches (authorial intent, character autonomy, and player modeling) to manage user experience and maintain narrative coherence.

) contribute to capturing the mechanisms through which narrative structures evolve and maintain coherence over time. By integrating our approach into these frameworks, we aim to reveal how game franchises balance innovation with narrative stability, and by what means a dynamic interaction between player agency and evolving storyline is fostered.

In regard to content analysis, Van Krieken et al. [33] propose a linguistic cues framework that observes a dynamic yet sequential system. Through this mechanism, readers respond to and identify with multidimensional narrative cues. Van Krieken et al. focus on the role of narrative characters, arguing that the six narrative dimensions (spatiotemporal, perceptual, cognitive, moral, emotional, and embodied) that are represented through corresponding linguistic cues ultimately shape readers’ engagement with the narrative. These cues direct how readers align with characters’ perspectives, and this process of identification is distinct in both first and third person narratives. In consequence, the narrative cues collectively motivate not only emotional immersion, but also cognitive and moral engagement. Following Van Krieken et al.’s [33] protocol for narrative deconstruction, Sanders and Van Krieken [34] differentiate singular plots from embedded plots presented in brand stories. They analyze how different narrative structures evoke cathartic (emotional) and phronetic (moral and rational) responses in viewers. Specifically, they derive variables from both internal and external dimensions for coding purposes, asserting that since narrative archetypes take into consideration the self-identification of consumers, brands can produce a “catharsis” (emotional release) as well as “phronesis” (moral consideration). The positive consequences of these both affect the receiver’s engagement and align personal narratives with the social values which narrative seeks to convey and reinforce.

Turning to structural frameworks, Lindley [35] presents a comprehensive evaluation of narrative structures in computer games, highlighting the complex interaction between gameplay and storytelling. Lindley distinguishes interactive narratives from non-interactive ones, and we refer to the interactive experiences that embrace three crucial components of the structure of interactive narratives: simulation, gameplay, and narrative. At the foundational level is simulation, which governs the mechanics and systems of the game world. This level enables players to interact with a consistent and rule-based environment under the condition that it does not render predetermined narrative direction. Accordingly, gameplay emerges as an active process in which players make decisions and perform actions that directly influence outcomes. Differing from passive simulation, the emergent narrative intervenes in game mechanisms instead of player autonomy. Ultimately, narrative structure encompasses all techniques within which the story arc maintains evolution.

Considering the intricate link between narrative construction and its implications, Gustafsson et al. [17] developed the narrative substrates framework, which focuses on transforming players’ continuous actions into distinctive and interactive narrative techniques. Elements are identified as story events and artifacts, both of which are persistent objects developed in the process of interacting with players while recording those occurrences. The framework identifies relations between elements and coherent narratives and defines rules for interactivity and discoverability that ensure players’ evolving gaming experiences.

From a critical standpoint, as proposed by Lindley [35] and Gustafsson et al. [17], emergent narratives develop on the basis of interplay between player actions. Nevertheless, without a structured plot, there is a risk of fragmented storytelling under the circumstances in which players fail to align with narrative outcomes. Thus, we suggest that the challenge of balancing player agency with narrative depth persists, highlighting the need for meticulous design to ensure both engagement and story cohesion.

In conclusion, the categorization of narrative analysis frameworks is summarized. Riedl and Bulitko [7] introduce three landscapes embracing authorial intent, virtual character autonomy, and player modeling for distinguishing various analytical approaches to interactive narrative. Defined by Riedl and Bulitko, virtual character autonomy refers to the capacity of non-player characters (NPCs) to make independent decisions and exhibit behaviors within the game environment. This autonomy is realized by artificial intelligence (AI) systems, allowing NPCs to respond to player action caching and propel narrative context. Interactions are therefore deepened, facilitating emergent storytelling on the basis of realistic and context-sensitive actions. In our study, we also examined authorial intent which exhibits designers’ narrative objectives, and virtual character autonomy that reflects the relationship between NPC actions and narrative progression.

3. Research Questions and Structural Framework Implementation

Developing the integration of persistence and evolution and adopting a macro-level portfolio perspective, this study extends Nakamura and Tosca’s exploration of narrative growth and adaptation within franchise games [20]. By systematically analyzing the strategic interweaving of persistent themes and adaptive narrative techniques, we seek to reveal the nuanced interplay that allows enduring narratives to retain coherence while evolving to satisfy the expectations of players. In accordance with our objectives, the following questions are embedded: how franchises balance continuity with adaptation; how dynamic narratives sustain player immersion across generational shifts in gaming technology; and by what means audience engagement is developed.

In this regard, the above theoretical frameworks offer a structured lens through which to examine the internal mechanisms that simultaneously uphold and transform the narrative structure. We specifically scrutinize the strategies by which designers ensure both coherence and innovation, coordinating established narrative elements with novel storytelling dynamics to sustain the appeal of emergent narratives across multiple game iterations. The persistence within these narratives fosters an immersive continuity, creating a cohesive experience that bridges each installment. Simultaneously, the evolving narrative architecture, which is propelled by technological advances, exposes new layers of interactivity and expression, reinforcing the adaptive capacity of franchise narratives.

In alignment with these considerations, we formulate the following research questions with reference to the structure and constructive techniques of a successive storyline, specifically focusing on the persistent yet evolving representations of characters, plotlines, and narrative techniques. This focus enables us to systematically examine how continuity is maintained amid change, revealing the delicate balance between stable narrative elements and innovative adaptation within franchise development.

RQ1.

Does the simulation of real-world dynamics within a franchise remain consistent or evolve across different versions?

RQ2.

How do the orientations of the story in the franchise (introducing the setting, characters, and context) retain their foundational elements or adapt across successive versions?

RQ3.

How do crucial story events retain their processes or adapt across successive versions?

RQ4.

How do the evaluations (character or narrator’s comments on events) retain their forms or adapt across successive versions?

RQ5.

How do the resolutions (outcomes) of the story retain their appearances or adapt across successive versions?

RQ6.

How do non-player characters (NPCs) in the franchise retain or adapt their individual characteristics across successive versions?

RQ7.

How do player-controlled characters (PCs) in the franchise retain or adapt their autonomy across successive versions?

RQ8.

By what means do non-player characters (NPCs) maintain or develop their relationships with player-controlled characters (PCs) in the franchise?

RQ9.

Does the narrative structure beyond the game franchise, expressed by official campaign videos and reports that align with the developers’ authorial intents, persist or evolve over time?

Figure 1 depicts the interrelations among the essential components of emergent narrative structure. Solid lines denote direct relationships, while dashed lines are meant to depict indirect or feedback relationships. The layering displays the flow from simulation (RQ1), orientations (RQ2), story events (RQ3), and evaluations (RQ4) to resolution (RQ5). The dashed circle indicates the relationships among settings, characters, context, NPCs (RQ6), and PCs (RQ7, RQ8), which collectively create the environment for the evaluations. We also examine the subtleties that are expressed through the linguistic features of the official materials (RQ9).

4. Methodology

4.1. The Game: Animal Crossing Franchise

The subject analyzed in this study is the Animal Crossing franchise (hereafter referred to as ACF). ACF is a series of life simulation games developed and published by Nintendo, with its initial release in April 2001. As of 2024, the franchise has achieved significant commercial success, accumulating a total of 78.8 million units sold worldwide. To be specific, Animal Crossing: New Horizons quickly surpassed the combined sales of its predecessors over the previous 20 years, attaining unprecedented revenue. By 2024, New Horizons had sold 45.36 million copies, underscoring its dominance over other Nintendo console games and solidifying its successful entry within the series [36,37].

The Animal Crossing series consists of the following key releases:

• Animal Crossing: Wild World (2005)—11.75 million units sold
• Animal Crossing: City Folk (2008)—4.32 million units sold
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf (2012)—13.05 million units sold
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)—45.36 million units sold

The above commercial trajectory demonstrates the franchise’s growth, with New Horizons emerging as the most successful installment, reflecting the series’ adaptation to modern gaming platforms and evolving player preferences.

The franchise spans multiple platforms, including Nintendo consoles, mobile devices, and manga adaptations, reflecting its wide-reaching influence. For the purposes of this study, we focus on the main entries in the series, excluding extensions due to their deviation from the core narrative structure [38]. In addition, the first generation named Animal Forest was excluded from the analysis, as it is available only in Japanese language.

Games used in the current longitudinal analysis are as follows: the second generation, Animal Crossing: Wild World and Animal Crossing: City Folk; the third generation, Animal Crossing: New Leaf; and the fourth and most recent generation, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This chronological selection facilitates a meticulous exploration of narrative persistence and evolution across the franchise’s main titles.

4.2. Research Design

This study selects the Animal Crossing franchise as a representative example due to its balance of continuity and change within a life-simulation format, blending persistent game mechanics with evolving narrative elements. According to Diop and Liu’s [39] framework, Animal Crossing functions as a “Single Setting Case Study with Multiple Sub-Cases”, integrating technological advancements while preserving core gameplay. Root-Williams et al. [30] highlight the value of such long-standing franchises in studying narrative adaptation across timelines, underscoring Animal Crossing’s relevance hereupon.

Methodologically, this research adopts a mixed approach to investigate how narrative techniques persist and evolve over time. We integrated qualitative walkthrough method with quantitative unsupervised learning techniques—principal component analysis (PCA) and VADER.

The primary objective of this research is to explore emergent narrative techniques within the paradigm of modern human–computer interaction, with a focus on two fundamental goals. First, we aim to assess the integrated narrative techniques through gameplay, narrative structures, and socio-technological context. Ip [5] suggests that not only linear but also branching narrative structures embrace multiple layers, thus we observe the narrative structure from a temporal dynamics perspective. Second, we strive to discern how the persistence of narrative features and their evolution shift in game design.

As a foundation for further analysis of the interplay between emergent narratives and gameplay mechanics, our research integrates both qualitative and quantitative methods for analyzing. This integrative approach captures narrative evolution with measurable data, illustrating how interactive narrative evolves in response to technological advancements and transitions in player expectations.

4.3. Methods and Procedure

4.3.1. Walkthrough Method

Considering that this study necessitates a meticulous examination of narrative mechanisms within the Animal Crossing franchise, we adopted the walkthrough method. This approach facilitates systematic analysis of the cultural and social dynamics embedded within the game’s digital environment [40]. Light et al. [40] further summarize the applications of the walkthrough method, suggesting that this approach integrates perspectives from science and technology studies.

Consequently, by referring to the applications of information and communication technologies, the walkthrough method offers a thorough assessment of how players interact with the game’s narrative framework. Both design intentions and player engagements that shape the narration are to be uncovered afterwards.

Following recent methodological discussions, we acknowledge the concerns surrounding researcher subjectivity during the interpretations of walkthroughs. The walkthrough method is limited by minimal engagement with algorithmic processes, resulting in deviations and bias originating from researchers’ subjectivity [41]. Considering this condition, we established predefined analytical components based on the emergent narrative structure (Figure 1) and carefully aligned observations with the corresponding research questions (RQ1–RQ8). This reflexive strategy aims to facilitate procedural transparency and support internal consistency in interpretive validity.

• Procedure and Analysis

Following the emergent narrative structure framework illustrated in Figure 1, one investigator engaged with narrative development. This framework delineates critical components including simulation, orientations, story events, and evaluations across the layered narrative. Specific research questions (RQ1–RQ8) offered a clear path to examine how narratives endure and evolve.

Subsequently, observations in regard to core narrative elements and transformative adaptations relating to ICT innovations and player agency were organized following the emergent narrative structure framework. Concurrently, each narrative component was analyzed, scrutinizing the balance of persistence and evolution across the Animal Crossing franchise. After systematically mapping these aspects, we corroborated that each component aligned with our research objectives, which are further reflected in the detailed analysis presented in Section 5.1.

4.3.2. Coh-Metrix Analysis and Unsupervised Learning PCA and VADER

To supplement the walkthrough method, computational measures from Coh-Metrix were employed to extract structural metrics that elucidate narrative coherence and linguistic variance within official game materials. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA), an unsupervised learning technique, was applied to systematically explore and visualize the underlying structural dimensions across game generations. VADER sentiment analysis was incorporated to extend the structural characterization, delving into emotional tendencies across different game versions. Finally, the above results explained the narrative structure of official materials (RQ9).

• Data Collection and Preprocessing

This study involved gathering official campaign videos and reports released regarding each Animal Crossing generation (see

Table 2. The fundamental details of the original texts and the transcribed target texts.

Indicator	Official Campaign Videos	Official Reports
Count	5	32
Median length of the texts	280 words	316 words
Length of the source	13.35 min/1400 words (transcription)	10,136 words

). We systematically transcribed the multi-modal data into a unified textual corpus (Corpus1) for computational analysis.

Text data underwent a preprocessing phase to ensure coherence, eliminating extraneous elements like special characters, HTML tags, and inconsistent formatting. In accordance with Mavrogiorgos et al.’s [42] protocol on data validation, cleaning, and verification, we used natural language processing (NLP) techniques to optimize data integrity. The corpus was segmented into narrative units by punctuation in order to maintain structural coherence while aligning with linguistic norms [42,43].

Following the established protocols [44,45], text preprocessing included the removal of non-linguistic elements (e.g., hyperlinks, timestamps, special characters), normalization procedures (e.g., lowercasing, removing redundant spacing), and segmentation into narrative units guided by punctuation marks to preserve semantic coherence [42,43].

Afterwards, the corpus was processed by Coh-Metrix linguistic analysis. Then, Coh-Metrix-generated linguistic metrics were normalized prior to PCA to reliably identify principal components. Furthermore, considering VADER’s sensitivity to informal textual nuances and emotional expressions, preprocessing carefully retained context-specific terms, emotive language, and informal stylistic elements, thus enabling accurate sentiment analysis across the corpus.

• Pipeline for Unsupervised learning PCA of Coh-Metrix

Coh-Metrix facilitates a quantitative comparison of our qualitative findings, enabling a systematic examination of linguistic structure across game versions. Coh-Metrix analyzes text from five aspects: narrativity, deep cohesion, referential cohesion, syntactic simplicity, and word concreteness [44,46,47,48]. As specified by our research objective, we selected dimensions related to Descriptive Metrics, Text Easability Principal Component Scores, Referential Cohesion, LSA (Latent Semantic Analysis), Lexical Diversity, Connectives, Situation Model, Syntactic Complexity, Syntactic Pattern Density, and Readability, each comprising multiple indices (details in Appendix A,

Table A1. Concepts regarding Coh-Metrix linguistic dimensions and indices.

Dimension	Indices	Description
Descriptive (DES)	DESPC, DESSC, DESWC, DESPL, DESPLd, DESSL, DESSLd, DESWLsy, DESWLsyd, DESWLlt, DESWLltd	Providing fundamental information regarding the corpus logic, including sentence count, word count, and paragraph count.
Text Easability (PC)	PCNARz, PCNARp, PCSYNz, PCSYNp, PCCNCz, PCCNCp, PCREFz, PCREFp, PCDCz, PCDCp, PCVERBz, PCVERBp, PCCONNz, PCCONNp, PCTEMPz, PCTEMPp	Assessing the ease or difficulty of a text based on linguistic features such as syntactic simplicity and verb cohesion.
Referential Cohesion (CRF)	CRFNO1, CRFAO1, CRFSO1, CRFNOa, CRFAOa, CRFSOa, CRFCWO1, CRFCWO1d, CRFCWOa, CRFCWOad, CRFANP1, CRFANPa	Indicating the overlap or co-reference of specific words in the text. Indices vary from local to global.
Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA)	LSASS1, LSASS1d, LSASSp, LSASSpd, LSAPP1, LSAPP1d, LSAGN, LSAGNd	Measuring the semantic overlap between sentences as well as paragraphs.
Lexical Diversity (LD)	LDTTRc, LDTTRa, LDMTLD, LDVOCD	Referring to the relationships between the variety of unique words and the entire corpus.
Connectives (CNC)	CNCAll, CNCCaus, CNCLogic, CNCADC, CNCTemp, CNCTempx, CNCAdd, CNCPos, CNCNeg	Examining the occurrence of all types of connectives per thousand words.
Situation Model (SM)	SMCAUSv, SMCAUSvp, SMINTEp, SMCAUSr, SMINTEr, SMCAUSlsa, SMCAUSwn, SMTEMP	Measuring the evoked mental processing of comprehenders using linguistic cues.
Syntactic Complexity (SYN)	SYNLE, SYNNP, SYNMEDpos, SYNMEDwrd, SYNMEDlem, SYNSTRUTa, SYNSTRUTt	Analyzing syntactic structures, including phrase composition and grammatical complexity.
Syntactic Pattern Density (DR)	DRNP, DRVP, DRAP, DRPP, DRPVAL, DRNEG, DRGERUND, DRINF	Calculating the density of noun, verb, adverbial, and prepositional phrases.
Readability (RD)	RDFRE, RDFKGL, RDL2	Explaining the level of text difficulty with readability algorithms.

) [48]. Compared with previous approaches measuring words’ correlations with sentences and legibility, selected measures of Coh-Metrix evaluate their performances in the whole cognitive process, consistent with our focus on syntactic construction [45,49].

After data preprocessing, we first applied Coh-Metrix 3.0 software to analyze the discourse transcription (N = 37). We measured 86 indices belonging to 10 dimensions (Table A1) to predict language features, cohesion, and rhetorical compositions, standardizing all measures to prevent bias in subsequent algorithms.

$$X_{\mathrm{standardized}}={\displaystyle \frac{X-\mu }{\sigma }}$$

In this equation, X represents the original data value, μ is the mean of the variable, and σ is its standard deviation, ensuring that all measures have a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.

Following this, we applied the approach of Graesser et al. [44] to reduce the high-dimensional linguistic indices into fewer informative principal components (PCs) through principal component analysis (PCA).

PCA is one of the most frequently adopted statistical transformation methods for reducing dimensions of multivariable data matrix [50]. While achieving this, PCA transforms the initial variables into lower-dimensional principal components and preserves the most significant information of the original data. Specifically, each principal component is orthogonally uncorrelated with the antecedent principal component. Ultimately, PCA proves to be not only a data exploration tool, but also effective in preprocessing data for machine learning equipment [50].

To ensure the appropriateness of conducting principal component analysis, we first assessed the suitability of the dataset by performing the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett’s test of sphericity in SPSS 26 [51,52]. By determining the proportion of variance shared among variables, the KMO measures that the value closer to 1 indicates stronger sample adequacy. Bartlett’s test assesses whether the correlation matrix significantly deviates from an identity matrix (the null hypothesis), aiming to ensure that factor analysis is meaningful. In our study, KMO = 0.769 and the significance of Bartlett’s test of sphericity is 0.046 (below the value of 0.05), proving that significant correlations among variables in the dataset exist.

The above examination demonstrated the rationality of conducting principal component analysis. Applying PCA in SPSS with the Varimax rotation method and Kaiser Normalization, we transformed the original dataset A of dimension p into a lower-dimensional subset B of dimension q while preserving the maximum variance.

$$B=PC·A$$

PC represents the principal component matrix obtained by eigenvalue decomposition of the covariance matrix of X.

The PCA was conducted on the basis of standardized Coh-Metrix feature matrix, reducing 86 linguistic measures to three principal components in

Table 3. Principal component analysis results for three principal components.

Component	Eigenvalue	% of Variance	Cumulative %
PC1	31.843	37.027	37.027
PC2	29.296	34.066	71.092
PC3	24.861	28.908	100

. The data analysis indicates that the first principle component explains about 37% of the whole variation, the second principal component specifies about 34% of them, and around 29% is justified by PC3. On the report of these three components accounting for 100% of computed Coh-Metrix indices, an acceptable approximation of the primal data was attained, as presented in the rotated component matrix.

Based on the rotated component matrix, the correlations between each index and the three principal components are presented in

Table 4. Rotated factor loadings for linguistic index.

	PC1	PC2	PC3
Zscore:  DESPC	−0.957	0.291	0.007
Zscore:  DESSC	−0.958	0.286	−0.004
Zscore:  DESWC	−0.953	0.103	−0.024
Zscore:  DESPL	−0.633	−0.304	−0.79
Zscore:  DESPLd	−0.717	−0.338	−0.609
Zscore:  DESSL	0.753	0.639	−0.157
Zscore:  DESSLd	0.539	0.213	0.668
Zscore:  DESWLsy	−0.832	0.524	0.182
Zscore:  DESWLsyd	−0.913	0.331	0.236
Zscore:  DESWLlt	−0.875	0.36	0.323
Zscore:  DESWLltd	−0.803	0.286	0.522
Zscore:  PCNARz	0.713	−0.414	−0.565
Zscore:  PCNARp	0.712	−0.423	−0.56
Zscore:  PCSYNz	−0.912	−0.405	0.067
Zscore:  PCSYNp	−0.903	−0.624	0.075
Zscore:  PCCNCz	0.996	−0.073	−0.049
Zscore:  PCCNCp	0.987	−0.151	−0.05
Zscore:  PCREFz	0.715	0.407	−0.481
Zscore:  PCREFp	0.766	0.409	−0.496
Zscore:  PCDCz	−0.965	−0.264	0.004
Zscore:  PCDCp	−0.968	−0.348	0.022
Zscore:  PCVERBz	0.882	−0.362	−0.3
Zscore:  PCVERBp	0.854	−0.377	−0.36
Zscore:  PCCONNz	−0.423	0.703	−0.572
Zscore:  PCCONNp	−0.671	0.442	−0.596
Zscore:  PCTEMPz	0.546	−0.259	0.797
Zscore:  PCTEMPp	0.548	−0.262	0.794
Zscore:  CRFNO1	0.279	0.85	0.29
Zscore:  CRFAO1	0.854	0.302	0.138
Zscore:  CRFSO1	0.21	0.928	0.306
Zscore:  CRFNOa	0.622	0.736	0.268
Zscore:  CRFAOa	0.831	0.204	−0.518
Zscore:  CRFSOa	0.522	0.779	0.032
Zscore:  CRFCWO1	0.832	0.349	0.083
Zscore:  CRFCWO1d	0.262	0.823	0.503
Zscore:  CRFCWOa	0.647	−0.176	−0.742
Zscore:  CRFCWOad	0.393	−0.011	0.919
Zscore:  CRFANP1	0.444	−0.471	−0.762
Zscore:  CRFANPa	0.192	−0.527	−0.754
Zscore:  LSASS1	−0.087	0.99	0.115
Zscore:  LSASS1d	−0.312	0.699	0.644
Zscore:  LSASSp	−0.177	0.637	−0.75
Zscore:  LSASSpd	−0.096	0.076	0.922
Zscore:  LSAPP1	−0.404	0.91	0.092
Zscore:  LSAPP1d	−0.851	−0.462	0.252
Zscore:  LSAGN	−0.941	0.288	−0.177
Zscore:  LSAGNd	−0.539	0.104	0.836
Zscore:  LDTTRc	0.964	−0.166	0.209
Zscore:  LDTTRa	0.897	−0.199	0.394
Zscore:  LDMTLD	−0.756	0.543	−0.524
Zscore:  LDVOCD	−0.856	0.432	0.285
Zscore:  CNCAll	−0.019	−0.881	0.473
Zscore:  CNCCaus	−0.156	0.811	−0.564
Zscore:  CNCLogic	0.411	−0.641	0.648
Zscore:  CNCADC	0.767	−0.347	0.539
Zscore:  CNCTemp	0.278	−0.372	0.796
Zscore:  CNCTempx	−0.783	−0.274	0.558
Zscore:  CNCAdd	0.275	−0.847	0.454
Zscore:  CNCPos	−0.386	−0.893	0.232
Zscore:  CNCNeg	0.689	−0.581	0.433
Zscore:  SMCAUSv	−0.157	−0.872	0.463
Zscore:  SMCAUSvp	−0.119	−0.935	0.335
Zscore:  SMINTEp	0.098	0.266	−0.917
Zscore:  SMCAUSr	0.193	0.589	−0.785
Zscore:  SMINTEr	−0.946	0.206	0.25
Zscore:  SMCAUSlsa	0.36	0.815	0.454
Zscore:  SMCAUSwn	0.353	0.043	−0.904
Zscore:  SMTEMP	0.601	−0.136	0.788
Zscore:  SYNLE	0.942	−0.092	−0.324
Zscore:  SYNNP	−0.483	0.537	0.691
Zscore:  SYNMEDpos	−0.505	−0.745	−0.437
Zscore:  SYNMEDwrd	−0.553	−0.833	−0.037
Zscore:  SYNMEDlem	−0.784	−0.619	0.049
Zscore:  SYNSTRUTa	−0.525	−0.814	−0.481
Zscore:  SYNSTRUTt	−0.27	−0.885	−0.379
Zscore:  DRNP	−0.652	−0.639	−0.407
Zscore:  DRVP	0.109	0.247	−0.963
Zscore:  DRAP	0.017	−0.988	−0.154
Zscore:  DRPP	0.479	0.875	0.067
Zscore:  DRPVAL	−0.782	0.424	−0.456
Zscore:  DRNEG	0.181	−0.868	0.463
Zscore:  DRGERUND	−0.302	0.147	−0.942
Zscore:  DRINF	0.541	0.803	0.251
Zscore:  RDFRE	0.475	−0.874	−0.104
Zscore:  RDFKGL	0.376	0.984	−0.038
Zscore:  RDL2	0.819	−0.639	−0.197

. Subsequently, we assessed loadings (Z-scores) to determine the correlations between factors and principal components. For this study, we set the significance threshold at an absolute value of 0.8, ensuring the identification of strong correlations [50,51].

• Pipeline for Rule-based Vader Sentiment Analysis

VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary and Sentiment Reasoner) is a lexicon-based tool designed for analyzing emotional inclinations in informal texts [53,54]. Calculating sentiment based on polarity values [53,54,55], VADER utilizes a rule-based dictionary comprising 1773 iconic words with predefined weights [53] that rates text sentiment into positive, neutral, and negative dimensions [54]. It has been widely adopted in recent years due to its adaptability to texts extracted from social media and business informatics services [54].

With regard to performance measurement, VADER overpasses human raters in sentiment classification accuracy, achieving an F1-score of 0.96 compared with 0.84 for human evaluators [55]. Compared with other sentiment classification models such as the SGD classifier, Naive Bayes, Logistic Regression, and Multinomial NB, VADER demonstrates higher efficiency that enhances the applicability of Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) over broader fields [54,55].

As our quantitative linguistic analysis aims to uncover the linguistic structure of official materials, the integration of VADER sentiment analysis provides a complementary interpretative perspective. The focus on embedded emotional nuances facilitates discovering whether systematic shifts in sentiment expression are accordant with narrative dynamics. Consequently, this combined approach enriches the quantitative framework established by Coh-Metrix, meanwhile enabling the understanding of communication strategies across successive iterations of official game texts.

In sum, the quantitative linguistic analysis integrates an unsupervised learning approach, employing PCA on Coh-Metrix measures while also examining the correlations between narrative structure and sentiment expressions. Figure 2 illustrates the stages of the hybrid methodology.

5. Results

5.1. Structural Narrative Dynamics in ACF

In response to RQ1, simulation within ACF remains fundamentally persistent as the first narrative layer through which players engage with the game world. The franchise exhibits a transition from a static environmental model to a socially interactive system, reinforcing players’ engagement with real-world rhythms while expanding the capacity for narrative persistence. This transition emphasizes that persistence does not preclude evolution, but rather provides the structural foundation upon which adaptive changes develop.

With respect to RQ2, the orientations in ACF ensure the designers’ intention to gradually introduce and refine simulation techniques through player interactions. This means that orientations are designed to primarily launch player identifications within the game world. Meanwhile, orientations transit from fixed and reactive orientations to more dynamic, participant-driven structures. This transformation aligns with the trajectory of the game’s emergent narrative evolution.

As for RQ3, story events evolve from recurring activities to increasingly socially responsive interactions. Events play the transitional role from following the game rules in simulation and orientations components to player-centered gaming without disrupting the engagement flow. Story events extend beyond maintaining narrative consistency, but also deepen the emergent storytelling mechanisms.

When it comes to RQ4, evaluations within ACF follow an adaptive feedback system, reinforcing the active narrative engagement other than passive information reception. Evaluations as simple reflections of player actions in the initial generations of ACF have evolved into mechanisms that shape gameplay consequences. As a result, players are allowed to exert greater influence over the narrative space.

Regarding RQ5, the evolution of resolutions across ACF corresponds to the evolving role of player agency in emergent narrative structures. Environmental and aesthetic customizations guided by players are symbolic moments indicating that their autonomy has received accelerating support.

In terms of RQ6, RQ7, and RQ8, NPCs have evolved from predefined roles into more interactive agents that contribute to player immersion and decision-making. ACF game design increasingly equips NPCs with context-aware interactions. Consequently, the relationship between NPCs and PCs has transitioned from merely reactive exchanges to complex, behavior-driven engagements. Such developments exemplify how evolving game design techniques contribute to adaptive and socially resonant game environments.

5.1.1. Simulation

All through ACF, simulation revolves around consistent real-time synchronization enabled by ICT applications (see Figure 3). This mechanism realizes virtual realities embracing day–night cycles, seasonal changes, and weather conditions. This persistence constantly relates players to the real world, fostering media nostalgia and sense of social presence [56]. Players in Wild World (2005) experience daily and seasonal changes that mirror reality’s rhythms. When it comes to City Folk (2008), the synchronization maintains the essence while extending features in response to the introduction of a city environment. Compared with the village setting, synchronization influences the city in a more service-oriented manner. New Leaf (2012) introduces richer social interactions with NPCs, leveraging synchronization towards foundation engineering that continues for various labor days. As for New Horizons (2020), its real-time synchronization reaches a novel level by offering players control over the environment through terraforming containing terrain editing and environmental customization, while still maintaining the day–night and seasonal cycles that characterize the previous games. Furthermore, real-time synchronization supports enduring influences of players when they are offline. The caching mechanism preserves their previous decisions, allowing the game world to evolve following the same pace of real-world, without requiring the player to engage permanently.

Additionally, New Horizons (2020) introduces augmented reality (AR) modes supported by compatible mobile application Pocket Camp, reinforcing players’ immersion by means of wandering around their virtual cabins and interacting with NPCs (see Figure 4). This integration of physical and virtual spaces aligns with ACF’s consistent approach to apply innovative technologies without compromising its core mechanics and player-oriented emergent narrative.

5.1.2. Orientations

Orientations are composed of “who”, “what”, “where”, and “when”, and all these introduce the background of the storyline [34]. In line with this argument, Di Marco [57] suggests that orientation in video games tightly relates to cultural localization which provokes a sense of identity. In ACF, these components constitute the foundation of emergent narrative structure, and we delve into how they maintain or evolve in player engagement, spatial constructs, and other relevant facets (see Figure 5).

Orientations in Wild World (2005) are relatively simplified. The “who” centers on the player’s vague identity, implying broad accessibility and a universal appeal. The “what” involves iteratively interacting with NPCs, collecting items, and building relationships within the community, whereas the range of activity is confined to a small village with limited spatial complexity. And “when” is driven by the real-time synchronization. ICT support here refers to the basic spatial databases that manage the simple map and character locations. In this context, the data repository system that tracks players’ actions further integrates with global multiplayer interactions, ensuring seamless updates and a personalized game world.

City Folk (2008) expands the spatial dimension through the introduction of a secondary urban space. Nevertheless, the “who” and “what” remain largely static as in Wild World. In this generation, players begin to engage with cultural markers. This innovation provides a more related sense of identity without disrupting the village’s immersive evolution. This expansion incorporates advanced ICT represented by spatial databases that manage both the original village and the new city space.

New Leaf (2012) exhibits a notable change in orientations due to the player’s rise to the role of mayor. Unlike earlier PC roles, players begin with the role of mayor, primarily facilitating public works projects that serve the public good. This form of active control conveys a more embedded version of player agency, whereby a player can eventually adopt an identity within a narrative frame of reference. Additionally, “where” varies according to the player’s decisions, and emerges at the intersection of narrative agency and spatial change. This generation upgraded database management, organizing, and processing rates of player decisions and social interaction to allow the storage and retrieval of increasing variety and complexity.

By New Horizons (2020), there is a considerable number of orientations. The “who” is a traveler tasked with navigating and developing an unspoiled island by managing resources and modifying the environment. This identification demonstrates a broadening scope of identity, and a sense of collective engagement, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the importance of virtual spaces for social interaction [58]. As with each version, “where” is increasingly personalized, terraforming provides the player with complete control of “where” for the first time, enabling unprecedented spatial modification. Real-time synchronization remains for community interaction; however, it is embedded within players’ efforts in crafting and resource management. The advancement of ICT is essential in developing real-time automated spatial manipulation tools that allow modification of terrain and other environmental features in real time.

5.1.3. Story Events

Within the digital landscape, events can be understood as complex interrelations of media-cultural practices, human subjects, and technological systems [59]. Giddings [59] takes this notion further by contending that gaming events are not single, isolated episodes. Specifically, they happen within the temporal flow of the game itself, considering everything that happens as part of the gaming experience. This emphasis on the episodic framing of events compels a shift away from thinking of them as single or exceptional moments, and suggests instead an abiding systemic thoroughfare of interaction between humans and technology across time, with respect to human and technological relations leading to longer stretches of events. This reflects a more processual understanding. In Di Marco’s [57] argument, culture localization is often subtle and embodied most visibly via seasonal events concurrent with global and cultural holidays, and through this, a mild sense of identity is invoked through gameplay. Within the ACF, we adopt this expansive techno-cultural view of events, and observe the punctuating of eventful story elements across the franchise depicted in Figure 6 in relation to player agency, temporal moments, and technology, thereby creating a compounding narrative.

In Wild World (2005), story events are echoes of thematic cultural practices found in the real world. Cyclical events include fishing tournaments and a bug-off competition that require only a passive level of participation within the bounds of outcome determination and event focus. There is limited capacity for the player’s agency to affect the wider participation. This reflects early ICT usage, where technology supports basic gameplay mechanics without being able to significantly influence player outcomes.

As for City Folk (2008), events retain cyclical structure while extending to an urban city setting. However, events remain confined to the village, and player agency continues to be limited to participation rather than creation. This stage shows moderate technological evolution that allows expanded geographical limits for players, but still constrains player impact to pre-determined actions in the game narrative.

New Leaf (2012) signifies how story events are integrated into the game’s narrative. Celebrations of various events in substance recurrently consolidate cultural localization in games, as player-driven decisions reflect both aesthetic preferences and cultural engagement through new festivals and interactions [57,58].

Story events in New Horizons (2020) have undergone an evolutionary change by prioritizing the diversity and preferences of players. Events range from global celebrations of Chinese New Year and Halloween to in-game Fishing Tourneys and Bug-Offs. Relevantly, festal items attached to real-life culture are featured for limited time by game shopping service. Owing to advanced network communications and server–client architectures, players are able to celebrate these events with other players across different geographic locations.

5.1.4. Evaluations

Evaluations convey the thoughts and emotions of characters, or narrators, about events that take place in a story [60]. In ACF, evaluations are connected to resolutions and provide evaluative feedback on the consequences of the player’s decision-making as presented in Figure 7.

In Wild World (2005), evaluations are quite limited and are typically found in the form of very short comments from NPCs regarding normal events in the day-to-day life of an Animal Crossing. These comments provide evaluative feedback, but do not elicit any substantial emotional connections or deep appraisal of the player’s actions. This is indicative of a general absence of ICT devices earlier on in the series, as these simple comments result from basic data tracking and scripted comments from characters.

City Folk (2008) provides a broader set of evaluations through the NPCs interactions that take place in the mayoral city. However, even in the mayoral city, evaluations remain transactional and only acknowledge progress the player has made in particular activities, for example while shopping or bidding on items at an auction. Even with a broader spatial context, these evaluations continue to be simple scripted responses relating to daily accomplishments, rather than reflections of meaningful narrative progression and development.

With New Leaf (2012) and the player’s role as mayor, the nature and degree of evaluations alter entirely. NPCs begin to acknowledge when players, based on their own actions, improve their ordinances or have completed public works projects. These evaluations establish broader feedback on emotions and social dynamics, namely the incorporation of responsibility on the part of the player.

On this account, we suggest that this transformation characterizes evaluations that transfer narrative significance involving a series of social interactions [27]. This version contributes to a significant ICT advancement, integrating algorithms that track and respond to a broader range of player actions, enhancing the narrative impact of evaluations by making them more responsive and contextually relevant to the player’s decisions.

In New Horizons (2020), multiple layers of assessments constitute evaluation mechanism, covering player decisions, community interactions, environmental rating, feedback messages, and item granting. Among them, the island rating system belonging to environmental rating provides regular evaluations of the player’s geomorphological reformation on his/her own island. This feedback motivates improvements and the highest, three-star rating. This system transforms evaluations into structured goals, where players are encouraged to continually develop their island to receive higher ratings and unlock additional features, such as inviting the singer K.K. Additionally, evaluations extend beyond NPC feedback, as other players visiting the island can offer their own reflections, adding a social layer to the evaluative process. With complex feedback systems that integrate real-time data analytics, social networking features, and enhanced user interface design to facilitate a multi-dimensional assessment process, advanced ICT implementation is evident.

5.1.5. Resolutions

With respect to the resolutions element, Sanders and Van Krieken [34] refer to this component as outcomes. Resolutions signify a juncture where the narrative structures have been combined, thus achieving closure. Within the ACF contexts, resolutions are not linear story conclusions, but a compound of player agency and narrative changes. To clarify, it is relevant to connect this narrative element to the wide-scale dynamics of simulation, orientations, story events, and evaluations (see Figure 8). Resolutions in the context of ACF exemplify how these characterizations have varied outcomes that reflect differences in scale and impact due to player action and the version of the game.

In Wild World (2005) and City Folk (2008), the term resolutions should be understood not as endings in story arcs, but outcomes to cyclical, predictable patterns of daily activities. This is based on a real-time synchronized experience, or one that falls outside a linear narrative structure. Early ICT and applications in these games, allowed players to engage as active participants in a game rather than reaching a conclusion.

By New Leaf (2012), resolutions begin to merge with player agency. Having assumed the mayor position, PCs sustain active relevance with game world construction. Their choices trigger direct consequences for the aesthetic and functionality of the village, which in addition determine the daily lives of its NPCs. This transformation is facilitated by advanced ICT implementations, including game engines [3] and data management systems that track and adapt to complex player inputs that result in dynamic open-ended resolutions.

As for New Horizons (2020), resolution mechanism responds to player agency mainly in the form of island terraforming and resource management. Specifically, terraforming permits players to modify the island’s physical and social environment following their aesthetic and social-behavioral preferences. This innovation not only fosters unique, open-ended resolutions, but also deepens the player’s role as a creator, accommodating a personalized narrative that dynamically evolves with their decisions. In this game generation, the game engine utilizes algorithms to track and respond to player inputs, exemplifying an application of ICT innovations that crafts a deeply personalized and evolving narrative landscape [3,4].

Furthermore, the multiplayer system that allows other players, with the island owner’s permission, to engage in terraforming extends the narrative resolutions beyond solitary actions. Consequently, collective efforts become integrated into the game’s emergent narrative construction. Meanwhile, advanced synchronous communication and cloud-saving technologies collectively provide fundamental support, forging enduring player engagement in contemporary digital era.

5.1.6. Characters

In the evaluation of the role of characters within the Animal Crossing franchise, the respective functions of both non-player characters (NPCs) and player characters (PCs), as well as their internal interactions, are considered and exemplified in Figure 9.

In Wild World (2005), NPCs iteratively follow pre-defined scripts. They offer routine feedback and interact with PCs without generating any game progression. Specifically, by following this, players are confined to rigid rules, primarily aiming to integrate various goals into a game [28,38]. NPCs have passive roles, primarily reinforcing the daily rhythms of village life. The PCs’ interactions with these NPCs demonstrate minimal ICT integration, manifesting as predominantly scripted exchanges with no complex algorithms dynamically influencing their behaviors in response to player actions.

NPCs in City Folk (2008) remain static in terms of narrative depth. The expanded environment offers more activities, although the essential function of NPCs as service providers or companions does not deviate remarkably from earlier versions. This continuity indicates a moderate evolution in the use of ICT to deepen character roles within the game’s narrative structure.

The evolution of NPC roles begins in New Leaf (2012), where the dynamic between NPCs and the player becomes more complex. NPCs assume different divisions of labor, namely mayor assistant, shopkeepers, and villagers. They react directly to the player’s decisions, creating a sense of community. The relationship between the players and NPCs grows more reciprocal, aligning with the player’s increased agency in shaping the village. Advanced programming and database management systems [3] are implemented to track player interactions and dynamically adjust NPC responses, enhancing the narrative impact of each character within the game.

By New Horizons (2020), NPCs not only comment on environmental changes and player actions, but also participate in an evolving narrative. The introduction of island customization and terraforming makes NPC feedback more integrated into the game’s world-building mechanics. This integration is facilitated by complex scripting and event-trigger systems that activate different NPC responses according to specific player actions and changes in the environment. Another notable reflection of technological advancement is the integration of amiibo cards, allowing players to invite specific NPCs to their islands. This technologically enhanced player agency involves character selection with island development. Players are granted to personalize their island’s social dynamics, thereby tailoring a personal narrative. The use of amiibo technology demonstrates the application of ICT in enhancing interactive storytelling and player engagement through customizable character interactions.

5.2. Narrative Structure of Official Materials

RQ9 is illuminated by examining cohesion, syntactic complexity, and narrativity constructs across the four major ACF iterations: official materials indicated a systematic equilibrium between continuity and change. Following this, the franchise has preserved its core narrative identity while enhancing its communicative practices, especially in New Horizons, which indicates that while officially, narratives remain captured in franchise continuity, their rhetorical and structural labor has made congruous adjustments to advances in the player experience and interactive engagement.

After that, we compiled the linguistic structure index derived from principal component analysis of the textual transcriptions of all official materials from the four Animal Crossing generations from 2005 to 2021, resulting in 54 emergent parameters of linguistic structure for the models.

These parameters (see Figure 10), including DESPC, DESSC, DESWC, DESWLsy, DESWLsyd, DESWLlt, DESWLltd, PCSYNz, PCSYNp, PCCNCz, PCCNCp, PCDCz, PCDCp, PCVERBz, PCVERBp, CRFNO1, CRFAO1, CRFSO1, CRFAOa, CRFCWO1, CRFCWO1d, CRFCWOad, LSASS1, LSASSpd, LSAPP1, LSAPP1d, LSAGN, LSAGNd, LDTTRc, LDTTRa, LDVOCD, CNCAll, CNCCaus, CNCAdd, CNCPos, SMCAUSv, SMCAUSvp, SMINTEp, SMINTEr, SMCAUSlsa, SMCAUSwn, SYNLE, SYNMEDwrd, SYNSTRUTa, SYNSTRUTt, DRVP, DRAP, DRPP, DRNEG, DRGERUND, DRINF, RDFRE, RDFKGL, and RDL2, constituted the final multivariate dataset.

Figure 2 visualizes the distribution of text features across the first three principal components (PC1, PC2, and PC3). Each color represents a linguistic dimension category. The retained indices cover all selected Coh-Metrix dimensions, ensuring that principal component analysis captures a more comprehensive linguistic representation without skewing toward a limited set of features.

The principal dimensions derived serve as the primary axes for assessing textual changes in the franchise’s official materials. We delved into the calculated component scores across different game versions, visualizing and measuring the degree of persistence and evolution of linguistic structures across the four generations of Animal Crossing.

PC1: 

The structural lexical variety.

The presence of DES indices (DESPC, DESSC, DESWC, DESWLsy, DESWLsyd, DESWLlt, and DESWLltd) suggests close correlation to text length, word count, sentence structure, and paragraph segmentation, capturing the scale and density of textual information. The inclusion of PCSYNz and PCSYNp (syntactic simplicity), PCDCz and PCDCp (deep cohesion), SYNLE (words before main verb), and PCVERBz and PCVERBp (verb cohesion) indicates syntactic structuring and logical organization. Additionally, PCCNCz and PCCNCp (word concreteness) suggests the presence of concrete discourse markers that facilitate better comprehension.

CRFAO1, CRFCWO1, and CRFAOa (indices for argument overlap and content word overlap) are used to measure the lexical repetition that reflects referential cohesion. LSAPP1d and LSAGN are used to measure both the average cosine similarity of lsa between adjacent paragraphs and the average value of each sentence.

LDTTRc, LDTTRa, and LDVOCD (lexical diversity) measure variation in word choice and represent the range and distribution of the vocabulary used. SMINTEr (intentional cohesion) is the ratio of intent words compared to actions or events words. Finally, RDL2 (readability index) suggests that PC1 reflects the reading accessibility of the texts, specifically how the structural and lexical density of a text impacts comprehension.

PC2: 

Semantic cohesion and logical structuring.

Propelled by referential cohesion (CRFNO1, CRFSO1, CRFCWO1d) as well as latent semantic analysis (LSASS1, LSAPP1), PC2 assesses the semantic coherence across sentences and paragraphs by estimating the degree to which the textual units overlap in reference or concept. The high incidence of connectives (CNCAll, CNCCaus, CNCAdd, CNCPos) suggests that a given dimension represents an element of logical structuring and discourse organization. These explicit markers of coherence (e.g., causal, additive vs. contrastive) indicate that the use of these connectives in structured units contributes to coherence with the larger discourse.

Additionally, the situation model indices (SMCAUSv, SMCAUSvp, SMCAUSlsa), which relate to causative verbs and causal cohesion, assess the semantic overlap of verbs. The syntactic complexity indices (SYNMEDwrd, SYNSTRUTa, SYNSTRUTt) suggest some relationship with sentence structure, but it is also evident that paragraph level coherence is fairly important in textual connectivity.

Finally, aspects of written syntactic density reference the incidence of adverbial phrases, prepositions, negations, and infinitive phrases, and the combined patterns of use constitute not only difference in density, but also fidelity of the linguistic construction. The indices of readability (RDFRE, RDFKGL) refer to the accessibility of reading the text, and higher scores indicate a more accessible text for readers.

PC2 measures semantic consistency across sentences and paragraphs, capturing textual coherence, structural organization, and readability through referential cohesion, latent semantic analysis, causal relations, syntactic complexity, and readability indices.

PC3: 

Stability of syntactic patterns.

PC3 is shaped by referential cohesion (CRFCWOad), which captures the degree of content word overlap between adjacent sentences, reflecting local textual continuity. Additionally, latent semantic analysis (LSASSpd, LSAGNd) emphasizes semantic similarity in both sentence pairs and general discourse, weighing the stability of meaning connections.

The presence of situation model indices (SMINTEp, SMCAUSwn) indicates the occurrence of event process words, as well as the overlap of wordnet among verbs.

Moreover, syntactic pattern density measures (DRVP, DRGERUND) further delineate the structural characteristics of this component. DRVP explains the recurrence of to-infinitive constructions that function as nominal, adjectival, or adverbial elements. Meanwhile, DRGERUND captures the prevalence of verb-derived nominal constructions, in regard to grammatical styles and processing demands.

Higher PC3 scores indicate more reliable local semantic repetition, greater referential contention, and observable patterns in specific syntactic forms, whereas lower scores are associated with looser syntax, less semantic overlap, and increased reliance on implicit affiliate cues instead of explicit structural clues.

The linguistic composition of the analyzed dataset pattern presented variation in terms of documented literature [50]. To account for the variation in the current study, PC scores were calculated based on sums of standardization common of their PCA loading rank.

$$P{C}_{\mathrm{score}}={\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^{54}}\left({\mathrm{loading}}_i\times {\mathrm{measure}}_i\right)$$

where ${\mathrm{Loading}}_i$ is the factor loading of the i-th linguistic index in the principal component matrix, ${\mathrm{Measure}}_i$ indicates the standardized value of the respective linguistic feature.

The values presented in

Table 5. Principal components scores across the Animal Crossing franchise.

Game Version	PC1	PC2	PC3
Wild World	16.68	14.78	9.05
City Folk	16.78	6.25	−14.53
New Leaf	1.24	−29.40	1.40
New Horizons	−34.70	8.36	4.08

represent the relative PC scores along the principal components that were extracted for each game, while allowing us to compare and decide the nature and direction of individual text as a concurrent linguistic theme over time.

The PC scores across conditions refer to the standard deviation and shed light on which language structure persists or evolves.

$$\sigma =\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{{\sum }_{i=1}^N{\left(x_i-\mu \right)}^2}{N}}}$$

$x_i$ is the principal component score of the i-th game version. $\mu$ represents the mean principal component score across all versions. $N$ is the total number of game versions analyzed.

Higher standard deviation values would mean a considerable change in linguistic property, or that the language has evolved, while lower values reflect similarities in textual composition and lexical choice. The standard deviation was also visualized in a biplot format below in Figure 11.

The biplot shown in Figure 11 represents the principal component analysis (PCA) results, displaying associations among linguistic features across four game versions (Wild World, City Folk, New Leaf, and New Horizons). The colored points depict different game versions, with their distance to one another designating the extent of linguistic similarities or differences. Points that are relatively close to one another suggest the respective version have similar linguistic characteristics, while points that are further away represent more significant differences.

The blue lines depict the linguistic features examined in Coh-Metrix, and the direction of the vectors illustrates to what proximity each feature aligns with the principal components. In a biplot, the length of the lines represents the variance of the variables. The longer the line, the greater the variance and, ultimately, the larger the variable contributed to the differentiation of game versions.

The principal components, PC1, PC2, and PC3, represent different levels of variance in the dataset. PC1 (37.087%) refers to the highest degree of variance, explaining the greatest differences across linguistic features between the game versions. PC1 is followed by PC2 (34.066%) and PC3 (28.908%). Each game version is located along each of the respective axes, which offer validity of how the game versions are variant linguistically based on the features examined.

Within Figure 11, New Horizons is most distinguished from the three other game versions, as it is found furthest from the other versions. The game version Wild World is the closest with City Folk, suggesting the two have greater similarities. Additionally, noting the length of the blue vectors illustrates the linguistic features that play primary roles in differentiating the game versions in this context, suggesting its structure may have changed each time a game version was released.

From a persistence-based lens, some aspects of the textual structures remained consistent across the games, creating continuity in communicative structure. The other two game versions, Wild World and City Folk, indicated they maintain high instructional positional variance (PC1: 16.68, 16.78) of their official texts across game versions. In semantic terms, the structure of meaning established consistency and logical continuity (PC2), whereby Wild World (14.78) retained their coherence by maintaining the logical structures. With City Folk (6.25) a decline was observed, suggesting they shifted towards dynamism and interaction between the actor and character. The level of structural position is also true for syntax stability (PC3). Wild World (9.05) and New Leaf (1.40) also retained a relatively same structure in ratio.

Specifically, for example, referential cohesion that is explained by CRFNO1, CRFSO1, and CRFCWO1d indicates that the way official materials support connectivity across sentences and between referents as a functioning construct has not shifted much in these contexts. Similarly, lexical diversity (LDTTRc, LDTTRa, LDVOCD) has been regulated across and amongst each version, which suggests control over variation of words uniformly. Additionally, the level of syntactic complexity indicators (SYNSTRUTa, SYNMEDwrd, SYNLE) also indicates that the official texts retain balance either way by ending up with sentence structures consistent from one to the next across time.

Nevertheless, linguistic change is evident across multiple dimensions, particularly in how descriptive richness, logical organization, and semantic profile have changed in relation to new marketing strategies. New Leaf (PC1: 1.24) is the most notable change, suggesting a movement towards more concise and focused text types, while New Horizons (PC1: −34.70) demonstrates a significant evolution in lexical diversity, likely due to the inclusion of more immersive, narrative-driven official content. New Leaf (PC2: −29.40) shows the greatest departure, indicating a more informal and perhaps experimental official style, while New Horizons (PC2: 8.36) somewhat reinstates semantic continuity, although in a more contemporary format. The syntactic predictability of City Folk (−14.53) is more pronounced, signaling simpler or more fragmented sentence construction. The New Horizons (4.08) reinsertion of a more predictable syntactic structure suggests a more textually polished presentation.

The increasing variability in sentence length, number of words, and syllable density (DESPC, DESWLsy, DESWLsyd, DESWLlt, DESWLltd) could also suggest a variation in ways that official materials communicate around the scope of gameplay experiences. Such motion toward changes in sequencing are aligning more closely with industry trends toward engaging marketers who incorporate more story and dynamic interaction frameworks into their marketing materials. Similarly, logical connectedness (PCCNCz, PCCNCp, PCVERBz, PCVERBp) has undergone considerable alteration, suggesting a rise towards more dynamic descriptors framed around player interaction that continues to align with increasing player agency within the gameplay.

Additionally, the structural markers for latent semantic integration (LSASS1, LSASSpd, LSAGN, LSAGNd) continue to display a notable divergence, indicating how the franchise’s official texts have altered to put greater emphasis on thematic depth and emotional inclusion rather than merely describing gameplay mechanisms. The shift in situation model and inference features (SMCAUSv, SMCAUSvp, SMCAUSlsa) further underscores this shift, indicating that the emergent and cause–effect relationship within official texts is now apparent and certainly mirrors the increasing emphasis on social engagements and emergent narratives possible within the game world.

The dual persistence of the core and altered text structures reveals a refining of communicative strategy, rather than an overall change from past texts structures. While older official content undoubtedly emphasized clear and expository description, newer official texts show greater narrative density and rhetorical layering, aligning more closely with a broader immersion and new story-driven marketing messages. This underscores the franchise’s ability to remember its fundamental linguistic anchor, while continuing to define its new engagement strategies to provide more user-focused text structure and inclusions to align with evolving player expectations of their interactions.

Table 6. Sentiment scores for official materials of the Animal Crossing franchise.

Game Version	neg	neu	pos	Compound	Sentiment
Wild World	0.008	0.845	0.147	0.9919	Positive
City Folk	0.002	0.824	0.175	0.9992	Positive
New Leaf	0	0.882	0.118	0.991	Positive
New Horizons	0.009	0.797	0.194	1	Positive

presents the sentiment scores across official materials belonging to the Animal Crossing franchise. A consistently positive orientation (compound ≥ 0.991) is exhibited throughout the whole franchise, indicating the strategic emphasis on optimistic tone.

Table 6 illustrates the sentiment scores among the official texts on the Animal Crossing franchise. A general positive lean (compound ≥ 0.991) is apparent throughout the franchise, indicating a strategic approach to presenting a positive tone.

However, the distribution of sentiment differs across the four titles. Wild World (pos: 0.147; neu: 0.845) and City Folk (pos: 0.175; neu: 0.824) were classified as containing accessing sentiment strategies, with high proportions of neutrality and a number of positive sentiments. New Leaf (pos: 0.158; neu: 0.832), while showing a slight increase in neutrality, indicates a more reserved emotional tone. New Horizons (pos: 0.194; neu: 0.797) demonstrates a clear intention of positive, effective, and enthusiastic forward-looking suggestions, marked by notable enthusiasm. This trend shows clear adaptation to industry trends that redefined marketing with player expectations in mind.

The negative sentiment scores were also consistently low (neg ≤ 0.009) across the versions, further showing a consistent strategic avoidance of negative language and anchoring firmly to its original appeal, an escape from reality for leisure and play.

Overall, the conclusions of the sentiment study reflect a cohesive communication strategy that is showing an evolving strategy that remains consistent in its approach to trend from neutrality to positivity. While early official texts maintain language that is consistent and expository, the later editions seem to show an evolution toward more engaging, narrated, or immersive texts that meet evolving audience expectations and present marketing trends.

6. Conclusions

The current study systematically explores the persistent yet evolving narrative structures across the Animal Crossing franchise, illustrating how narrative techniques adaptively progress in response to both technological advancements and evolving player expectations.

To strengthen methodological reliability, we implemented validation procedures across all methodological components. For the walkthrough method, researcher subjectivity was mitigated by anchoring observations within the defined ENSF analytical framework through which we conducted iterative revisits of ACF to ensure interpretive consistency. Meanwhile, we systematically documented analytical conclusions and contextual cues [41]. Simultaneously, we standardized the Coh-Metrix variables before conducting PCA to eliminate scale bias. KMO and Bartlett’s tests additionally ensured sampling adequacy and inter-variable correlation. In terms of sentiment analysis, VADER was selected due to its empirically tested accuracy, achieving an F1-score of 0.96 and outperforming human raters in prior validations [53,55]. This triangulated approach comprising deductive and computational layers consolidates robust methodological integrity and is cross-validated through independent procedures.

The results confirm that fundamental supportive narrative components remain largely persistent. These components fall into two main categories: technological embeddings and the dynamics of initial narrative layers. The former ensures players’ actions having an enduring impact on the storyline, while the latter abstracts the story development to the players and aligns game rules with ludological gaming experiences. In contrast, the emphasis on player agency exhibits evolutions on behalf of gamers. Its manifestations become increasingly nuanced, complex, and personalized, particularly in later versions of the ACF.

In compliance with the narrative structures elucidated in Figure 1, we suggest that the interplay between narrative persistence and evolution originates from persistence as the foundation, being represented by simulation and orientations. While evolutionary dynamics integrates with emergent ICT interventions within orientations, story events, evaluations, resolutions, and characters, the increasing responsiveness to player control is emphasized. Detailed interpretations of structural components are as follows.

Simulation techniques incipiently affirm their core which mirrors the social reality through consistent real-world temporal rhythms. As the franchise evolves, progressively sophisticated environmental manipulation within these techniques enhances narrative immersion and player engagement, while maintaining the life simulation theme throughout the series.

Subsequently, orientations components demonstrate persistent intention of constituting players’ identifications throughout the medium of the story background. Meanwhile, this dimension transits from generally defined player identities to highly personalized roles, such as mayor and island creator. ICTs in spatial databases and multiplayer interaction capabilities effectively ensure the participant-driven structures.

Transforming from repetitive activities to interactive scenarios, evolution has become increasingly essential since the story events component. Fundamentally, New Horizons introduces globally synchronized events, reinforcing both social and cultural localization that gratifies the worldwide players. This innovation enhances narrative complexity, meanwhile expanding contentment within emergent storytelling, allowing players to engage in shared and personalized narrative experiences driven by player agency and adaptive world-building mechanics.

Represented by the island rating system introduced in New Horizons, we witnessed evaluations evolving from plain comments to multi-layered feedback mechanism. The integration of ICTs including environmental state monitoring and algorithmic scoring systems flexibly coordinate with players’ decisions in games. Furthermore, evaluations actively involve emergent narratives, as low island rating presents a good opportunity for players to exploit resources that gain more positive evaluations.

In ACF, resolutions are not linear story conclusions, but a combination of player agency and the evolving narrative framework. Advancements in ICTs including island terraforming modules and algorithmic scoring system that cover the environmental and social structures lay the foundation for adaptations to player agency. The evolution reflects an increasing reliance on players’ actions by which emergent narrative arcs are shaped. In earlier generations of ACF, NPCs have roles quoting predefined scripts. PCs have undergone a parallel transformation from passive avatars to active world-builders. As modern game design integrates context-aware interactions [9,18,19], NPCs and PCs are designed to actively participate in the unfolding of game events rather than merely reacting to player input. Thereon, they have transitioned to more interactive agents that increasingly shape emergent narratives, emphasizing player-driven co-construction of game worlds.

To substantiate these observations, a quantitative analysis employing principal component analysis (PCA) and VADER sentiment analysis was conducted on official textual materials. Via principal component analysis, we identified PC1 as structural lexical variety, PC2 to represent semantic cohesion and logical structuring, and PC3 exemplifying the stability of syntactic patterns.

According to PCA results, we suggest that the first generation Wild World and the second generation City Folk exhibit a structurally stable and logically coherent narration, reflecting continuity in discourse organization. In the meantime, it is worth noting that City Folk incipiently implies simplified sentence construction possibly due to adaptations to the interactive communication model. The third generation New Leaf shifts toward a more fragmented and flexible textual approach, corroborating the pronounced departure shifting. And this transition leads to a decline in semantic cohesion. In regard to the ultimate generation New Horizons, it expands lexical variety and structural complexity, while restoring a level of logical and syntactic consistency lost in New Leaf. With this in mind, we conclude that the narratives embedded in official materials align closely with gameplay transformation that allows rising innovations.

These findings are further substantiated by sentiment analysis, where VADER uncovers consistently positive emotional framing throughout all versions of the game, with very little negative sentiment present across the versions analyzed. Differences in the affective distribution suggest a conscious choice to adjust communication practices. In New Horizons, the polarity score of 0.185 represents an increase of 33.09, 6.94, and 56.78% (% increase is expressed as a number in the previous sentence) when compared to Wild World, City Folk, and New Leaf, respectively. This indicates a heightened emphasis on content that would elicit emotional engagement in the materials produced by the developers.

Ultimately, all findings indicate that the ACF is a socially situated attempt to blend the persistence of narratives with evolutionary evidence of player agency, utilizing ICT methods of engagement. Perhaps most importantly, New Horizons demonstrates an innovative attempt to show how emergent narrative frameworks change in relation to the creativity of the player as well as the communities that develop through technology.

7. Discussion

This exploratory study seeks to dissect several critical structural aspects that establish and expand emergent narratives through an integral analysis. We aim to offer a novel understanding of the dynamic emergent narrative structure on the foundation of ICT advancements by examining both internal components and external interactive techniques which Ip [5] refers to as sophisticated techniques. Specifically, this study addresses the central aspect of video game narrative’s persistence and evolution: how technological integration, interactive design, and player agency co-construct narrative adaptations across generations.

To start, adaptive balance is crucial for understanding the emergent narrative structure of the game franchise.

Persistence is demonstrated through the panoramic mechanism that translates players’ actions into story events via persistent world-state database, ensuring that players’ decisions and interactions have a continuous impact on the game world. This mechanism contributes to an uninterrupted narrative that evolves without defying core gameplay elements, which in essence constitutes the underlying attractions of a series of games. It is primarily presented via simulation and orientations, dynamically linked to players’ participation in game events, where their actions reinforce narrative continuity.

While persistence ensures narrative coherence by anchoring core game mechanics such as simulation-based real-world synchronization, evolution enhances players’ agency over spatial and aesthetic transformations by expanding environmental manipulation capabilities. Meanwhile, persistence is realized on the inevitable evolution that expands the scope of player action, and evolution continues on the condition of the solid coherence mechanism realized through persistence.

This result aligns nicely with the narrative substrate that Gustafsson et al. [17] propose, which leads to story reification and meta-gaming, linking in-game events to real-life consequences based on predetermined designer events. Additionally, noting again the concept of meta-persistence by Gustafsson et al., meta-persistence occurs when players can externalize content they previously experienced via cross-platform save synchronization (e.g., Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves), further emphasizing player agency in establishing the consonance of persistence and evolution. These persistent features stabilize the living game world so that players can establish an identifiable and coherent experience across unique versions of the game [22].

With respect to the narrative of the official materials, we see that the Coh-Metrix analysis illustrates high semantic cohesion. As the players engage with the promotional materials regarding the overall core gameplay mechanics and established franchise features, they will make connections to the narrative with both recurring characters and the ongoing life-simulation gameplay mechanics associated with the series. Coh-Metrix demonstrated high semantic cohesion, but we also analyzed the sentiment using VADER, which indicated the promotional materials were framed slightly positively for each of the game iterations. This swelling engagement towards positive framing is aligned with the overall narrative changing across iterations supporting an increasingly engaging experience. Specifically, along with the polarity score for our analysis, there was a positive increase of 33.09%, 6.94%, and 56.78% compared to Wild World, City Folk, and New Leaf, respectively, in relation to New Horizons. This progressive communicative adjustment underscores both the narrative change in content and the adaptive coherence of collective experience and player emotion, as promotional storytelling adapts to evolving player expectations.

Definitely, it is critical to acknowledge the role of technology as a catalyst for evolution. Bowman [61] depicts video games as demanding technologies, revealing that technology constructs spaces between players and the gaming mechanism, and this relation is exhibited by the internal condition of players’ cognitive, emotional, physical, and social demands that are increasingly being served. Developing on the external connection with players, we also observed that technological advancements profoundly shape the appearance of in-game elements within structural narrative framework. As technology progresses, the diversity manifested in simulation and characters within games also increases. Innovations including augmented reality and cross-platform gaming allow more dynamic responds to player inputs. This technological evolution not only broadens the scope of interactions but also empowers players with co-creation experiences.

Specific to ICT integration and consistent with metadata management system depicted by Lee et al. [62], the retrieval and utilization of multiple aspects of game data establish foundations for a vibrant gaming environment that adapts its narrative and gameplay environment to user interactions. This schema belongs to information science, exemplifying that advanced ICT integration leverages complex data architecture. Through ICT tools, including real-time data analytics engines and cloud-based synchronization protocols, the game tracks and analyzes gameplay metrics to continually evolve and personalize the gaming experience. This adaptation ensures that the virtual environment remains engaging and coherent, reflecting the combination of metadata-driven narrative development with cutting-edge technological applications.

On this basis, we argue that it is progressively driven by increasing player agency granted by ICT innovations aforementioned, which is exposed through orientation, story events, resolutions, evaluations and character interactions within the game. It is this evolution that allows the game world to adapt not only to technological advancements, but also, decisively, to player autonomy. Specifically, player agency has become an increasingly prevalent feature in contemporary video games, as players seek continued influence over the game world while maintaining a coherent narrative experience [7].

In line with Cole and Gillies’ [63] categorization of player agency into four distinct forms—interpretive fictional, interpretive mechanical, actual fictional, and actual mechanical—we found that the interaction between narrative elements incorporates varying degrees of agency. Across the franchise, player agency largely remains interpretive fictional, despite evolving from fixed NPC interactions to more cognitively engaging explorations of event sequences. The allowance of agency, which enabled players from the first game generation to build their understanding, has compounded as players embraced agency more fully with each iteration, blurring the lines between interpretative fictional agency (narrative framing) and actual mechanical agency (system-driven player-imbued world). While early versions were physically action-driven with interpretative mechanisms, the later iterations impose full agency, allowing players to reimagine and reconstruct their worlds through terraforming and customizable infrastructure. The degree of complexity signifies a different level of togetherness and player agency that allows players to be co-producers of emergent narratives, albeit one that is both unique to them and in relation to emergent and prepared narrative structure. Nevertheless, the unintended psychological impacts of player agency should be taken into account. Sophisticated interaction techniques that pander to players’ preferences are often associated with the illusion of control and immersive progression [64]. Yang and Gong [14] further explain the embedded game affordances that reinforce the engagement–addiction dilemma. They attribute players’ vanished real-world awareness to the immediate and variable reward system and sensory stimulation. They accordingly conclude that, while player engagement is optimized, addictive behaviors are intensified. Therefore, narrative design should not only strive for immersion and agency, but also integrate reflective mechanics and strategies that mitigate over-engagement among youth populations.

As outlined in Figure 1, we present a structural technique model ENSF to explain emergent narrative. The model suggests that simulation and orientation function to position key story events into the players’ landscape. Once these events have unfolded, players are forewarned (or at least can expect) a call for an explicit resolution that has careful attention for evaluation. At the same time as gameplay is evaluated and measured, characters (NCPs and PCs), context, and forms of in-world evaluation for collective and individual enrichment are all working together to bring immersive and identification-based narrative experiences to the player [33]. Resolutions have been crafted to retain neutral and non-judgmental forms of evaluation. This demonstrates Juul’s [65] notion of “complete theory” that goal-less games compel players to emulate social constructs, or follow a non-optimal game-states of being and behavior.

On the subject of implementing narrative techniques, Arango-López et al. [29] indicate that spatial immersion, narrative continuity, and real-time feedback collectively enhance learner motivation and deepen experiential engagement. Their discoveries parallel the dynamic adaptability of our ENSF framework by which narrative is increasingly constructed not only by player agency within the game world, but also by the infrastructural affordances of pervasive environments. Further, Arango-López et al. [29] have demonstrated how virtual and physical environments extend narrative immersion for pedagogical application enhanced by ICT advancements. We consequently conceive that drawing from ENSF design principles to pervasive learning environments may leverage the adaptable and location-aware narratives that enrich cognitive and affective dimensions of learning. This would not only reinforce player–learner engagement, but also redefine narrative agency as a pedagogical tool in ICT-augmented education.

While all of these various narrative touchpoints are important to the overall emergent narrative structure, certain moments unfold independently of the player’s first-person perspective or direct interaction. This concept is consistent with Koentiz et al. [66], indicating that even with a lack of agency tied to character identification, players may still identify with the development of ‘characters through language and narrative’. Koentiz et al. [66] build on to this notion of the narrative. We contend that it is about game structures, promotional material and other media that emerge and provide interaction beyond normative storytelling.

These findings raise the question of what triggers such transitions and transformations in the game’s narrative. We propose that the primary drivers of these transitions and transformations are three interconnected sources: (1) ICT infrastructure (e.g., cloud computing for real-time event synchronization), (2) interactive designer strategies, and (3) player agency mediated through ICT innovations and UI/UX design. These factors align with the game industry transformation, which respects cultural norms [67]. Structural narrative techniques, being both persistent and evolving, have facilitated complex and player-driven narratives. As player agency continues to evolve, their control over the game environment and influence narrative outcomes become a key driver of these transformations, as players’ actions directly contribute to the unfolding of the story. Additionally, designers have deliberately introduced new mechanics and refined narrative structures to enhance player interaction and immersion, ensuring that each iteration of the game offers novel experiences while maintaining continuity with the core elements of the franchise.

8. Implications and Limitations

8.1. Future Implications for Game Design

This study reveals the dynamic balance between persistence and evolution dimensions in game narratives, providing critical insights for future game design. Both in our study and in the academy, we suggest that Animal Crossing serves as a representative emergent narrative model. Due to the fact that ACF depicts how layered mechanisms can satisfy continuous player engagement on the grounds of information technology innovations.

Inspired by the expansions facilitated with ICTs in ACF, we suggest that augmented virtual reality could largely enrich game environments and narrative immersion. Specifically, increasing sensory engagement deepens player’s emotional connection and immersion. For example, VR haptic feedback systems that simulate story events may evoke immediate evaluations and resolutions, elevating the sense of control of players. Similarly, incorporating adaptive artificial intelligence (AI) that generates algorithmic responses to the interactive gaming elements can realize dynamic recordings. The tracking data further reinforces machine learning models that accelerate personalized story arcs that prospers intelligent agents [3].

To the extent, given the global reach of many gaming franchises, incorporating diverse cultural events can enhance player relatability. By integrating stories and characters inspired by various cultures, game designers can create a richer, more inclusive world that resonates with a wider audience. Echoing the findings of Arango-López et al. [29], we recognize the educational potential and cultural adaptability of pervasive games, which expand the gameplay boundaries by integrating real-world locations, temporal dynamics, and social participation into the narrative immersions. These implementations stimulate emergent narratives to incorporate cross-contextual engagement and adaptive mechanics that address both entertainment and educational demands among the younger audiences.

As narratives become more customized and technologically linked, it is an ethical matter of practice to ensure player data is properly applied. The development of ethical guidelines for narrative design will be essential for maintaining player trust, while ensuring that player welfare exists in the game industry.

Despite presenting these larger considerations as simply a vision for the future of game design that enhances connection with players and narrative innovation, we also encourage designers, developers and researchers to think of larger social, cultural, and technological implications of games. Overall, infusing the significance of these implications into both game design and gaming will allow for ultimately richer and more meaningful game experiences, including, but not limited to conventional forms of narrative and storytelling.

8.2. Limitations

It is pertinent to acknowledge that Animal Crossing arguably constitutes an exemplary source of escapism from the mundane aspects of existence [57]. As a consideration of the preceding idea, the distinct social and contextual uses-in-context for which the game is employed could be overlooked or misrepresented. The structure of the game itself is intended to produce a semblance of utopia that precludes the exploration of the more complex social realities, such as socioeconomic disparities and conflicts among players.

Additionally, the parameters of this study center primarily on the analysis of the semiotic affordances in the official promotional materials and trailers corresponding with the game, which reflect the narrative constructed or intended by the designers, along with representing the emergent player-driven narrative that arises from player-initiated play. Official promotional materials present a selected-and-crafted narrative of the game-world and would not fully account for how players engage and construct their own narratives in ways that diverge from the official narrative, providing us with a contrast that warrants further exploration.

Further, the scope of the unsupervised learning analysis could not entirely consider the visual and interactive aspects that are present to the narrative experience and game structure. The only unit of analysis is a linguistic one, which inevitably excludes the multimodal nature of narrative experience. In addition, due to the limited amount of linguistic material we can release, it would limit the machine learning potential that requires enough training data to use as a model.

What is more, this study is limited in scope to the Animal Cross content, which alone has a distinct narrative structure and an exclusive play style. Therefore, the findings cannot simply be generalized to other types of games. For example, other narrative techniques are linear in sequence, goal-driven, or have a multi-linear narrative structure. Future research could certainly expand the investigation of persistence and evolution to other types of games, perhaps even presenting more convincing evidence to emergent narrative structures in gaming forms.

Finally, this study does not contextually explore a specific player population. Despite the triangulation process based on the mixed approach, each of the present authors has a distinct cultural background, vibrating the player experience for academic discovery and interpretation. Consequently, a broader coverage of player communities is essential, given that player ethnography is crucial when examining narrative mechanisms. Our further studies will address this gap by incorporating diverse player demographics, deepening the understanding of emergent narrative formation across cultural contexts.