The impact of social factors on gamers' continuance intention - The case of multiplayer online battle arena in Vietnam
Abstract
The gaming industry is growing and attracting a large number of gamers to participate
in online games every day. Along with attracting gamers to play, retaining players is
also very important for the publisher. Managers of online games must find ways to
strengthen their continued intentions among players, thereby increasing the profit.
According to the trend of online games, social value is one of the most attractive
characteristic. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to verify the relationship
between social values and the gamer.
This study explores which social factors affect the player's continuance intention in
the MOBA genre. In this research, the target population is the gamers that have
played games of MOBA genre. Among more than 300 forms were collected, there
were 284 questionnaires that are valid and can be used for further analysis. The SEM
method has been applied to test proposed hypotheses and conceptual models. Based
on these findings, the study concludes that there are four factors affecting the gamer's
continuance intention, including: Network convergence, Interdependence, Sense of
community, Relational switching cost. All of these effects are positive including
direct and indirect. Moreover, this research also examines the relationship between
those factors.
From the results of this study, the authors propose solutions to online game managers
and companies. Through that, suggestions are made to raise the continuance intention
and maintain the number of players, which is discussed in the final chapter.