Why do people enjoy immersing?

Hiding in this game is called being "immersive"? Is that actually a thing? What's immersive about it? I ask legitimately. I didn't know that what appears to be my preferred playstyle had a name that I myself wouldn't have used to describe it.

Anyway I only hide when I feel that the killer may be near because I find that safer and more exciting than just running around. I can't stand looping, don't care about looping, am not interested in the looping aspect of this game whatsoever. Not one bit. I do it because I have to, but SO MUCH of this game (or at least its players) is looping-heavy that I honestly wonder if I'll ever be truly great at it. It's hard to state just how little I care for the idea.

Not trying to be an ass, I know that a lot of other people love looping and that's fine. It's just not my thing. The sneaking, stealth, hide and seek, cat and mouse is what I enjoy far, FAR more. I've often said that I went into this game thinking that it was basically a multiplayer version of Monstrum (an excellent game, you should all give it a look). That game is all about the killer being able to wipe you out, no defense whatsoever, so it's all about trying not to get caught. That's what I enjoy. That's what I like making my DBD matches into, at least as much as I can. Now that doesn't mean just sitting in lockers or cowering in the corner letting all my teammates die, but I definitely enjoy the thrill of trying to not get caught. I remember one of my first games in Midwich was against The Nurse. I didn't know her too well. I sensed that she was coming hear so I hid in a locker. Within a few seconds she just went floating past. In another match, before I'd even seen him thus could actually identify who he was, I heard the Oni go into his rage. It startled the hell out of me and I had no idea what would happen next so again, I hopped into a locker. And again, after a few seconds this giant beast comes storming past me. THAT stuff is great. The creepiness of knowing that you just evaded this horrific monster without it knowing that you were there brings a real sense of satisfaction, relief, and, yes, terror when you dare step foot back outside and try to get some distance. That, to me, is far more exciting than tile tag.

I don't know if that's immersion or what. I just call it playing stealthy. And I just do it because that's a funner type of game to me.

TL;DR:

This, so much this. These posts match my feelings exactly.

To those who don't like people who are, I guess, "immersive", you have to understand - there's a difference between a survivor just running and hiding and not being productive all game (players who, trust me, even fellow survivors don't like) and playing conservatively, trying to get stuff done while remaining unseen. There's a special skill and care and strategy to playing this way - it's more challenging, less rewarding in terms of BP, but for those of us who do it it's just simply more FUN.

I used to play immersed but just recently stopped as of two weeks ago. Asymmetrical horror games are my favorite genre and I enjoy the cat & mouse/hide & seek element. The tense thrill of trying to make it out the match undetected, but yet useful to my team was fun. But I’m over it now. Im slowly getting better at chases, so the new fun is doing my best to waste the killers time when it’s “my turn.” Running the killer for a min and a half then hearing two gens pop while getting downed actually feels good. Makes it feel worth it. So I have gen efficiency and safe hook rescue nailed down pact, and if I can get my chases to be more consistent, I’ll be a better overall player. I’m saying all this because some people will eventually grow out of playing immersed. It’s a phase. The important thing is not to confuse being immersed with being a coward. What you described going on in that basement sounds like cowards to me. I don’t even understand why both of them would be down there if there was no one was on hook being camped. There’s only one chest. Two people aren’t needed to open it lol. I don’t knock people for playing immersed cause I totally get it. But I will knock cowards and call em out for it. If I’m downed, on hook, or someone has kindred- and I see you crouched in the corner out of the killer’s terror radius crab walking back n forth, you'll get a flaming message by game’s end. And they’re doing it to get carried. Not a stealth killer. Too scared for their own good. The type that’ll open the exit gate with full health and just wait there while you are being chased by the killer, hoping they’ll leave so you can hear the hatch- since it’s evident they’re not coming to body block. Yea, F those guys.