A study of interaction in idle games & perceptions on the definition of a game

An idle game, also known as an incremental game, is a genre of games defined by the primary feature of its strategy: leaving the game running by itself with minimum or zero player interaction. Interaction with the game, while often useful for progression, is optional for extended periods of gameplay. Through a comparison between academic views on the definition of a video game and the results of a survey, this paper uncovers the importance of interactivity in an academic definition and a player's perceptions on how a game can be defined.