Issue Date

10-2024

Abstract

In the evolving landscape of online gaming in the Philippines, the “freemium” business model has gained dominance, particularly in free-to-play games. Despite its prevalence, only a few cases demonstrated significant improvement in converting players to paying customers. This underscores the need for game developers to understand user purchasing intentions, in the online gaming scene. MMORPGs, a widely favored genre in Philippine gaming communities, often feature virtual in-game characters. Recognizing this, this study delves into the complexities of character customization in mobile MMORPGs and its impact on the purchasing intentions of Filipino players. Using an explanatory-sequential research design, the study collected and analyzed 121 survey respondents using PLS-SEM and 4 online interviews using content analysis. Results showed that while the direct influence of character customization on purchasing intentions may seem minimal, a deeper analysis uncovers the crucial mediating role of effort expectancy which is the study’s significant contribution to knowledge. The study highlights that the ease and accessibility of customization significantly influence players' purchasing intentions, in line with broader consumer behavior trends emphasizing usability and convenience. Although conclusive evidence of the mediating roles of performance expectancy and social influence remains elusive, their impact on character customization suggests a nuanced interplay of factors. Players perceive character customization not just as a transactional feature but as a vital aspect influencing engagement and satisfaction.

Source or Periodical Title

UP Los Baños Journal

Volume

22

Issue

1

Page

94-126

Document Type

Article

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.