Factors affecting online game players' loyalty

Abstract

In the past decade, online games have become an important electronic commerce application. A good understanding of customer online game behaviors is critical for both researchers and practitioners, such as game vendors and game developers. Many researchers focus their studies on the consumers' intention to play online games. However, the industry becomes more and more interested in the key factors to retain customers. To tackle the retention problem, this paper proposes a research framework of online game play loyalty. Based on this framework, thirteen hypotheses were developed and tested through a survey in U.S. universities. Overall, the results indicate the following: 1) Online game technology factors, such as the game story, game graphics, game length, game control and online game services, have significant impact on players' game enjoyment; 2) Game enjoyment and social norms have positive effects on intention to play; 3) Social norms, quality of online game community and intention to play are important predictors of online game loyalty. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.