Social Spending: An Empirical Study on Peer Pressure and Player Spending in Games

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between a player’s spending habits and peer pressure with regards to optional purchases in online multiplayer games. We hypothesized that there is a positive correlation between player spending and the number of friends the player has playing the same game. The study was conducted via a survey, collecting the information on spending habits the size of their friend lists other relevant data. We concluded that there could be a positive correlation between player spending and peer pressure in modern Multiplayer Online Battle Arena and team-based First-Person Shooter games, but more research is required, as there were limiting factors to this study. The games used in this study were League of Legends, Defense of the Ancients 2, Team Fortress 2, and Overwatch. The findings can potentially be used to design games that encourage more playing with friends and family to increase per player revenue.