Does the Perceived Identity of Non-player Characters Change How We Interact with Them?

Although there have been studies demonstrating that users will respond favorably to synthetic companions and team-mates in computer games, there has been little research into how a player´s behavior may change when a known non-player character (NPC) assumes a human identity or persona. This is a common scenario in modern computer games, where players interact with NPCs assuming the guise of human characters. To explore this question, an online game was developed in which a human player had a primary objective of surviving against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. As a secondary objective, the player was tasked with protecting an unarmed NPC companion which assumed either a human, or non-human identity, but with identical underlying Artificial Intelligence. The intention was to explore whether the human player would be more or less protective of a synthetic companion simply due to the identity assumed. The results of the study demonstrate that player´s behavior does change based on identity, and clearly indicates that the player was more protective of the companion assuming a human identity. Furthermore, the results show that this phenomenon extends beyond simple human and non-human identities, and that the specific persona, or gender of the NPC may influence the player´s empathy towards it.