Mobile Games, Virtual Assets, and Purchasing Motivation

Mobile game industry has been expanding significantly thanks to the introduction of micro-transaction business where consumers are given a means to acquire desired virtual items via monetary investment. Empirical studies in relation to this subject, however, were limited only in the field of online PC-oriented virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft and Second Life. To address this gap, this research applies the conceptual model relating to consumer motivation to purchase virtual items in PC games to the context of mobile game industry using online and paper-based survey method. Our research shows consistent result that consumer intention to purchase virtual items in mobile game is driven by (a) internal factor: integrated value of mobile game items; and (b) external factors: perceived enjoyment, familiarity of game instruments, social and economic aspects. Additionally, frequency of engagement - when linked with identification of 'Harder vs Casual' gamers, correlates with higher level of purchasing intention.