Unlocking the Secrets of Virtual Goods Purchase Intentions: A Consumer Values Perspective in Games with GACHA Mechanism
(A2024-119485)

AUTHORS

Gaobiao CAO, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College; May Wang, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College; Xiaoyun Chen, The University of Macau

ABSTRACT

Online gaming has emerged as a pervasive online activity, captivating diverse participants seeking immersive gaming experiences. Genshin is a popular free-to-play open-world action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo. Since its release in 2020, Genshin Impact has achieved substantial commercial success, grossing over $3 billion as of 2023. Integral to the realization of in-game objectives is the imperative for players to enhance their character capabilities through the acquisition of virtual commodities. Despite extant gaps in comprehensive investigations into the proclivities governing the acquisition of virtual goods within the milieu of online gaming, this research seeks to address these gaps through an empirical exploration of consumer value paradigms. This investigation, focusing intently on the game design mechanisms inherent in GACHA games, scrutinizes their impacts on user experience based on consumer value theories and, consequently, their latent influence on players' propensities to procure virtual goods. The tripartite consumer values under consideration encompass functional value, emotional value, and social value. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is applied in the analysis. Findings show that the game aesthetics, character capabilities and perceived scarcity embedded within the GACHA design mechanism significantly influences emotional, functional, and social values. The gambling mentality serves as a moderating factor, fortifying the impetus for virtual goods acquisition in GACHA games. The study also provides actionable recommendations, and the identification of potential trajectories for future studies.