پذیرش بازی های آنلاین در تلفن همراه
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical framework
3. Methodology
4. Results
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Research Data
References
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to analyse the acceptance of online games, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT 2). The data analysed correspond to a sample of online players through mobile devices in Spain. A structural equation approach based on Partial Least Squares was used to assess the acceptance model. The result of the analysis indicates that UTAUT 2 explains 71% of the use of online games in mobile devices. The main conclusion of the study highlights the importance of habit in the use of online games. Specifically, the intention to play online is explained, in order of importance, by the variables habit, hedonic motivation and social identity. In addition, the use of an online game is determined by habit and intention to play. We proposed a simplified UTAUT2 model adapted to the online game scope.
Introduction
To play or not to play: this is not the question, because according to the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) there were between 2.2 and 2.6 billion players around the world in 2017. The critical question is: what are the key factors for the success of a specific online game? Hundreds of new video games are launched every month, but people accept only a few. Specifically, in the mobile market, 21.8 billion game apps were downloaded from Apple’s APP store and Google Play in Q1 2017–۲۰۱۸, a 15.3% increase from the same quarter the previous year. For example, Niantic’s Pokemon Go surpassed 65 million active monthly active users in April 2017 and made over $470 million in gross revenues in the first 80 days after its launch. Three games broke the billion-dollar mark: Mixi’s Monster Strike, Supercell’s Clash of the Clans and Clash Royal. Furthermore, games generated 90% of Google Play revenue (UKIE, 2017). The future of the sector is very optimistic, and the growth of this market will be unstoppable in the coming years. Despite the relevance of these figures, the scientific research about the acceptation of online games is limited. Playing is a primary activity in human behaviour. While all mammals play, humans play more and throughout their lives (Schultz and Lavenda, 2005). Indeed, since humans are very social animals, as they grow they interact more with their age group and games become essential for learning (Nanda and Warms, 2010). For instance, games offer a unique class of mediation for the emergence of new mental functions in young children (Bodrova and Leong, 2015).