Effects of the use of points, leaderboards and badges on in-game purchases of virtual goods

Abstract

Game design elements are major factors in gamification. In this study, we seek to examine the impact of game design elements on users’ in-game purchases of virtual goods. The purchase of virtual goods due to players’ intrinsic motivation has been studied but little is known about the purchase of virtual goods due to the use of game design elements (i. e., Points, Leaderboards and Badges) built into the games. Extending our knowledge to this realm can help researchers to better understand gamers’ behaviors, and game designers and marketers to better promote and sell virtual goods in online games.