Multi-Player Immersion

While listening to this weeks lectures on immersion I began to think about the differences between single and multi-player games. From what I gathered, most of the theory surrounding immersion is based on a single player vs the computer model. I on the other hand have purchased video games with the primary purpose of playing my friends when they come round, (it took me a good 12 months to start a campaign on Halo) and wonder what affect this has on immersion.

Firstly I think that it increases immersion because you are no longer killing a computer, you are killing a person. For example in a campaign mode when you kill a person, they die and that's the end of it. In a multi-player scenario the person you kill is sitting next to you. It is much more real as you can witness the consequences of their death as they are forced to stop playing and wait to respawn. There is also the added competition of playing someone real. To me there is much more riding on a game of multi-player Halo then there is in a campaign. I am more invested in the game therefore immersion is increased.

However I'm sure others would argue that in fact immersion is decreased as I am less involved in the plot and world of the game and only care about beating my mate. Also there is the fact that in many games the penalty for dieing is minimal (normally just a 5 second wait to respawn) whereas in a campaign you would have to restart the level. Perhaps the smaller consequences of actions in a multi-player game also means that immersion is decreased as the game is less realistic.

Overall what I am trying to say is that i feel more involved in a game when I am playing it in a multi-player format but am unsure if this means that I am more immersed.