A study by Pepper Partners conducted with players from Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Singapore tested the hypothesis of whether cultural background affects how players perceive wins and losses — and whether they remember them.
Eye-tracking technology was used to measure reactions, capturing eye movements, pupil dilation, and gaze pauses as indicators of emotional and cognitive activity.
Eye-tracking technology was used to measure reactions, capturing eye movements, pupil dilation, and gaze pauses as indicators of emotional and cognitive activity.
Where players look
🔵 Europeans (Austria, Hungary, Poland): on average, 73% of gaze is focused on the center of the screen; during wins — 76%, during losses — 69%. The center remains the main point of attention even during losses.
🔵 Singaporeans: on average, 57% of gaze is on the center; during wins — 63%, during losses — attention is almost evenly split: 51% center, 49% periphery.
🔵 The key difference is during loss moments: Western players remain focused on the center, while Eastern players begin to notice what is happening at the edges of the screen.
Where differences disappear
🔴 Peak moments (bonus rounds, high excitement): both groups demonstrated "tunnel vision" — attention sharply narrowed to the center regardless of cultural background.
🔴 Long-term memory: after 48 hours, both groups showed identical results — 65−67% recognition; specific visual details were not remembered, but the emotional experience was.
What this means for design
🔵 Western markets: strong central composition, high contrast, minimal peripheral elements.
🔵 Eastern markets: rich visual environments with background animations and peripheral elements; balance and jackpots do not need to be centered — this audience notices them even at the edges of the screen.
🔵 For all markets in peak moments: all critical information should be centered; unnecessary animations and pop-ups should be disabled.
🔵 CRM and post-session messages: appeal to emotional experience rather than interface details.
🔵 Localization is not only about text: visual architecture and animation pacing should be tested regionally.
Conclusion
Cultural differences in perception are real but conditional. In normal gameplay, and especially during loss moments, Western and Eastern players look differently — this changes interface design logic. However, at peak excitement, culture recedes: both groups switch to a "tunnel" mode, and what remains in memory is not the image, but the emotion.
🔵 Europeans (Austria, Hungary, Poland): on average, 73% of gaze is focused on the center of the screen; during wins — 76%, during losses — 69%. The center remains the main point of attention even during losses.
🔵 Singaporeans: on average, 57% of gaze is on the center; during wins — 63%, during losses — attention is almost evenly split: 51% center, 49% periphery.
🔵 The key difference is during loss moments: Western players remain focused on the center, while Eastern players begin to notice what is happening at the edges of the screen.
Where differences disappear
🔴 Peak moments (bonus rounds, high excitement): both groups demonstrated "tunnel vision" — attention sharply narrowed to the center regardless of cultural background.
🔴 Long-term memory: after 48 hours, both groups showed identical results — 65−67% recognition; specific visual details were not remembered, but the emotional experience was.
What this means for design
🔵 Western markets: strong central composition, high contrast, minimal peripheral elements.
🔵 Eastern markets: rich visual environments with background animations and peripheral elements; balance and jackpots do not need to be centered — this audience notices them even at the edges of the screen.
🔵 For all markets in peak moments: all critical information should be centered; unnecessary animations and pop-ups should be disabled.
🔵 CRM and post-session messages: appeal to emotional experience rather than interface details.
🔵 Localization is not only about text: visual architecture and animation pacing should be tested regionally.
Conclusion
Cultural differences in perception are real but conditional. In normal gameplay, and especially during loss moments, Western and Eastern players look differently — this changes interface design logic. However, at peak excitement, culture recedes: both groups switch to a "tunnel" mode, and what remains in memory is not the image, but the emotion.