  The rapid development of technology has introduced new formats of
human-computer interaction, which have in turn produced many new forms of media
and a whole new field of interactive multimedia. One of the major mediums that
has grown in popularity since its early development is video games. For a long
time, video games have been developed and distributed for the purpose of
entertainment, however, in the late 2010s, researchers have taken an interest
in the characteristics of games and how they can be used for different
purposes. Video games allow a tight loop of action-reaction which provides
fertile ground for many types of experiments which would be impossible or
prohibitively difficult to perform in the physical world, and as such serve as
strong virtual alternatives. A video game that is able to produce an immersive
experience for the player in which the player believes that they are "actually
there" in the game, and that the game is an extension of reality provides an
alternate way to explore human behaviors and decision-making processes.
Prospect theory questionnaires explore decision-making in hypothetical
situations. In most cases, these experiments are done in controlled
environments and rely on the respondent's imagination to reproduce the
situation which is presented to them. Creating a virtual world with which the
players can directly interact with and face tangible consequences of their
decisions brings the hypothetical situations of the prospect theory questions
closer to the respondent. If the players can interact with and manipulate the
virtual world, then it is much easier for them to empathize with it and their
character, and thus, the assumption is that the answers represent a more
realistic image of the player's decision making.
