An Antecedent Study of Mobile Social Game Addiction vs. Virtual Goods Purchase: A Gen Y Gamer’s Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how cognitive antecedents impact social game addiction and virtual properties purchase among Generation Y players in Malaysia. Using a quantitative method with 341 Generation Y gamers analysed via structural equation modeling through a two-step analysis approach, the results demonstrate that social game addiction is influenced by enjoyment, play intensity, and self-control. The purchase intention of virtual goods is affected by flexibility and play intensity. However, social game addiction has no impact on a gamer’s intentional purchase of virtual items. A player’s income level interacts with the relationship between flexibility and likelihood of virtual property purchase, which could be insightful for gaming publishers and vendors.