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What Drives Mobile Game Stickiness? A Perspective from Uses and Gratifications Theory

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Design, Operation and Evaluation of Mobile Communications (HCII 2022)

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Abstract

Despite the huge growth potential that has been predicted for mobile game continuous usage intention, little is known about what motives users to be sticky under the mobile game context. Drawing on the Uses and Gratifications theory (UGT), this study aims to investigate the influencing effects of players’ characteristics and the mobile game structures on players’ mobile game behavior (e.g. stickiness). After surveying 439 samples, the research model is tested with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both individual gratifications and mobile game presence positively affect users’ stickiness. Furthermore, we find that leisure boredom of individual situations and integration of mobile game governance positively affect users’ stickiness. The results provide further insights into the design and governance strategies of mobile games.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China

    Maomao Chi & Haiyan Ma

  2. School of Information Management, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China

    Yunran Wang

Authors
  1. Maomao Chi
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  2. Yunran Wang
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  3. Haiyan Ma
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Maomao Chi or Haiyan Ma .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Gavriel Salvendy

  2. University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA

    June Wei

Appendix A. Constructs and items

Appendix A. Constructs and items

Measurement Items

 

Hedonic Gratification

Items adapted from Li et al. (2015)

HG1

It’s exciting to play the mobile game

HG2

Playing the mobile game gives me a lot of pleasure

HG3

I play the mobile game because I can’t do in real life

HG4

Mobile games allow me to pretend I am someone/somewhere else

HG5

I play mobile games when I feel frustrated

HG6

Playing mobile games is best way to block off the world around me

Utilitarian Gratification

Items adapted from Li et al. (2015)

UG1

I feel that it is important to beat others in the mobile game

UG2

I have more power than other players in the mobile game

UG3

I have items/equipment which are better than those of other players’ in the mobile game

UG4

I play the mobile game, because I want other players in this game to perceive me as skilled

UG5

I play the mobile game, because I want other players in this game to perceive me as friendly

Loneliness

Items adapted from Russell (1996)

LS1

I feel lonely

LS2

I feel that I am no longer in tune with the people around me

LS3

I feel that there are no one I can talk to

Leisure Boredom

Items adapted from Iso-Ahola and Weissinger (1990)

LB1

For me, leisure time just drags on and on

LB2

Leisure time is boring

LB3

In my leisure time, I don't know what else to do

LB4

In my leisure time, I don't know what I want to do

LB5

Leisure time activities do not excite me

Spatial Presence

Items adapted from Wu et al. (2010)

SPP1

The mobile game comes to me and became part of my world

SPP2

The mobile game creates a new world for me, and the world disappears when I disconnect the mobile game

SPP3

The mobile game created an extension of my world, and part of my world disappeared when I disconnect the mobile game

SPP4

During the mobile game I feel like I am in the world the game created

Social Presence

Items adapted from Wu et al. (2010)

SCP1

When I see that other players are confused, I offer help

SCP2

I trust that other players in the mobile game will help me if I need it

SCP3

I feel connected to other players in the mobile game environment

SCP4

In my interactions with other players, I am able to show what kind of player/person I really am

SCP5

I feel like I am a member of a community during the game playing

Incentives

Items adapted from Bhattacherjee (2001)

IC1

I get rewards for my purchase in the mobile game, such as double the recharge

IC2

The mobile game offers incentives for my continued use, such as continuous sign-in rewards

IC3

Mobile games will reward me with virtual or physical objects (such as equipment, skins, game related products, etc.)

Integration

Items adapted from Kirsch et al. (2002) and Koo (2009)

IT1

The mobile game publishers expect me to follow a sequence of steps toward the accomplishment of specific goals (e.g. guiding players to establish mentoring and alliance relationships with other players in the game)

IT2

The mobile game publishers use pre-established targets (e.g. the degree of interaction with others in the game) as benchmarks for my performance evaluation

IT3

The mobile game publishers actively construct ways for players to communicate (e.g. communication channels in the game, the virtual community)

IT4

The mobile game publishers want me to understand the mobile game’s goals, values and norms

Stickiness

Items adapted from Lin (2007)

SN1

I would stay a longer time on this mobile game than other games

SN2

I intend to prolong my stay on this mobile game

SN3

I would visit this mobile game as often as I can

SN4

I intend to open this mobile game every time I use the phone

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Chi, M., Wang, Y., Ma, H. (2022). What Drives Mobile Game Stickiness? A Perspective from Uses and Gratifications Theory. In: Salvendy, G., Wei, J. (eds) Design, Operation and Evaluation of Mobile Communications. HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13337. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05014-5_11

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