What kind of video gamer are you?

Abstract

Purpose.- This paper attempts to understand the extent to which the effect of motivations on purchase intention varies for diverse segments of video gamers (depending on their personality). Design/Methodology.- Information was collected from 511 Spanish video game consumers. Structural equation modeling, clustering, and multi-group analysis were then conducted to compare results between segments of gamers. Findings.- Results show that hedonic, social and mainly addiction motivations lead to purchase intention of game-related products. Moreover, we identify a typology of gamer that gives rise to differences in motivations-purchase intention links: (1) Analysts include individuals who are essentially conscientious, prefer inventive or cognitive and simulation games and whose behavior is more influenced by hedonic and social motivations to play; (2) Socializers comprise individuals who are mainly extrovert and emotionally stable gamers and who prefer sports and strategy games. The motivations to play that affect their purchase intentions are mainly social; and (3) Sentinels include individuals that are unmindful and introvert, prefer inventive, cognitive, sports and simulation games, and whose social motivations drive their purchase intentions. Originality.- There are 2,200 million video gamers around the world, although it is assumed that this vast market is not homogeneous, which has implications for consumer motivations and purchase intention. However, the currently available classifications that address this challenge are rather limited. In this sense, the present paper provides valuable insights into understanding how personality offers a useful variable to segment consumers in the video game industry and how it moderates the effect of motivations on purchase behavior.