Title: Continuance intention to play games: the interaction of basic psychological needs, I-type and D-type epistemic curiosities

Authors: Young-Berm Kim; Sang-Ho Lee

Addresses: KT Corporation, Kyung-gi, Seongnam, 13606, South Korea ' Department of Media Content, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434, South Korea

Abstract: The duration of game playing varies from gamer to gamer. We explain the individual difference for keeping a game in psychological terms. With three basic psychological needs as competence, autonomy, and relatedness and the epistemic curiosity as interest (I)-type, and deprivation (D)-type, we propose a research model that the three needs are satisfied by the distinct game features and influence the continuing intention; and that two heterogeneous curiosities and age are explained by moderating the need-intention relationships. Survey data was collected from 500 smartphone users in South Korea and analysed with the multiple linear regression method. Resultingly, competence, autonomy, and I-type epistemic curiosity affected positively and D-type curiosity negatively on the intention. By the result of the dual moderator as I-type curiosity and the gamers' age, we conclude that the game retaining is various by the gamers' I-type epistemic curiosity and their age. Our research model is applicable to the gamer retention strategy for developers.

Keywords: mobile game; continuance intention; basic psychological need; epistemic curiosity; D-type; I-type; e-sports.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMS.2021.122718

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services, 2021 Vol.8 No.2, pp.172 - 194

Received: 29 Nov 2021
Accepted: 14 Feb 2022
Published online: 06 May 2022 *

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