Oct 22, 2024

article Players’ continuous willingness to play in MOBA game ranking mode: through the lens of self-determination theory and social comparison theory 22 October 2024 Players’ continuous willingness to play in MOBA game ranking mode: through the lens of self-determination theory and social comparison theory Abstract Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games are a popular genre in the current gaming field, and the highly competitive ranking mode is one of the core parts of the gameplay, and the study of the factors affecting players’ continuous willingness to play is a necessary issue to ensure the sustainable profitability of these games. This study has developed a conceptual model delineating the continuous willingness of players within the MOBA game ranking mode, employing the frameworks of self-determination theory (SDT) and social comparison theory (SCT). In this study, 396 valid data samples were collected using questionnaire method. The results show that, social comparison enhances players’ continuous willingness and avatar identification, and indirectly enhances their continuous willingness through mediation by avatar identification, while game frustration has a significant positive moderating effect in both paths. This study contributes to both theoretical explorations and practical approaches to MOBA game ranking mode. Introduction Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, a subset of real-time strategy games, feature two opposing teams, each comprised of five players controlling distinct characters. Their popularity has soared in recent years, positioning MOBA as one of the most prevalent genres in video gaming (Park and Kim, 2015 ). Given the short product life cycle in the online game market compared to other industries (Bae et al., 2016 ), the success of game companies heavily relies on players’ continuous engagement and willingness to invest in game items (Nguyen, 2015 ). This continuous willingness, a concept defined as an individual’s intention to persist in a particular activity (Bhattacherjee, 2001a ), is paramount in free-to-play (F2P) games, serving as a key performance indicator for revenue generation. Therefore, unraveling the factors that drive players’ continuous willingness to engage in MOBA games is imperative for game developers to successfully compete and thrive in the highly competitive gaming industry, ensuring their long-term success. The main strength of the MOBA genre is largely the challenge provided by its gameplay (Johnson et al., 2015 ). The most popular MOBA game among the Chinese adolescent population is “Honor of Kings” (Chen et al., 2022 ), which is played mainly in competitive player-versus-player (PVP) battles, with a more competitive ranking mode as its core element of gameplay, corresponding to a richer challenge. Ranking is a visual representation of a player’s strength in the game, and a higher rank indicates a stronger player. In addition, the social properties of the ranking system are greatly enhanced, so that players can learn about the dynamics of others’ winning rates and rankings in the game, and can easily access their own and others’ ranking information through social media platforms such as WeChat and QQ. Sailer et al. ( 2017 ) showed through experimental research that ranking, a game design element, has an impact on satisfaction with one’s ability and is one of the competitive indicators by which players relate their performance to others’. MOBA games foster a highly competitive culture among players, who compete to improve their ranking (Kou et al., 2016 ). In addition, MOBA games are more frustrating for players than other genres, and the greater degree of frustration may be a result of the intensive competition and steep learning curve that the games entail. In semi-structured interviews with MOBA gamers, their responses repeatedly included several key words—competition, ranking, and frustration (Johnson et al., 2015 )—indicating that a strong competitive motivation and high levels of frustration drive players to compete with others to achieve dominance in the game (T’ng et al., 2022 ). Players who are keen to compare rankings and compete for titles will have a stronger motivation to play, and this will likely have a greater impact on avatar identification and continuous willingness to play. Although MOBA games have remained under-attended academically in comparison to MMORPGs (Mora-Cantallops and Sicilia, 2018 ; T’ng and Pau, 2021 ). In MOBA games, which have different game backgrounds and mechanisms from MMORPGs, exploring how social comparison and avatar identification affect players’ continuous gaming behaviors has certain research value and can fill the research gaps of academic research on MOBA games to a certain extent. Griffiths and Pontes ( 2020 ) argued that the test between psychological motivation and gaming behavior should be ongoing, which is one of the key focuses to improve the quality of gaming research, especially in the current popularity of MOBA games, the study of how different factors affect players’ continuous willingness can provide both theoretical and practical guidance to the gaming industry, which is crucial to maintain the continuous operation and revenue generation of MOBA games for profitability. Theoretical background People’s motivations to play games shape their player experience and in-game behavior (Schaekermann et al., 2017 ; Melhart et al., 2019 ). Self-determination theory (SDT) is a well-established macro-motivation theory consisting of six micro-theories (Ryan and Deci, 2017 ). One of these theories is Basic Psychological Needs Theory, which posits that three basic psychological needs are considered universal and innate to human beings and are defined as autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy refers to the perception that one’s behavior and cognition in an activity is under one’s control, competence refers to one’s own feelings of self-efficacy and ownership, and relatedness refers to the experience of making meaningful connections with others. Satisfying these needs is critical to achieving a sense of well-being and positive outcomes in different contexts (Ryan and Deci, 2017 ). Ryan et al. ( 2006 ) points out that SDT has enabled the study of game motivation to focus on the relationship between game characteristics (e.g., sense of control), game experiences (e.g., continuous willingness), and motivation. Research suggests that video games are appealing because they fulfill lower-order needs such as hedonism, and higher-order needs such as self-perception of autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Ryan et al., 2006 ; Tamborini et al., 2011 ). Motivation can be defined as either intrinsic or extrinsic, depending on the intention and attitude towards action (Ryan and Deci, 2000 ). Intrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity because it is inherently interesting and enjoyable (Guay et al., 2000 ). In contrast, extrinsic motivation involves participating in an activity to achieve outcomes that are both external to the self and separate from the activity itself (Hayenga and Corpus, 2010 ). Player motivation is a critical research area in the field of gaming, as the motives that drive people to play games determine their gameplay experience and in-game behaviors (Schaekermann et al., 2017 ; Melhart et al., 2019 ). Dindar ( 2018 ) argues that while numerous previous studies have generated valuable insights into the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for online gaming, the combined influence of these two types of motivation on gaming remains underdeveloped. Additionally, Bruhlmann et al. ( 2020 ) suggests that early research primarily linked motivation to typologies of player preferences rather than being grounded in any established psychological framework or human motivation theory. Few studies have explored how competitive social situations affect self-perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, whereas game leaderboard provides a summary of player performance information for players to compare themselves with others and evaluate themselves (Velez et al., 2018 ). In previous studies, a number of scholars have examined games, including MOBAs, based on SDT, showing that frustration of the three basic psychological needs-autonomy, competence, and relatedness is strongly associated with negative game behavior, while their need satisfaction is associated with positive game behavior (T’ng et al., 2022 ; Kosa and Uysal, 2022 ). In MOBA games, players compete to win through avatars (called heroes or characters in most MOBA games). The player’s level of identification and understanding of the avatar contributes to a higher level of mastery, which increases the likelihood of victory. The avatar is one of the key factors that greatly affects the psychological experience of game players (Klimmt et al., 2009 ), and can reflect the extent to which a player’s personal identity is extended into the virtual game world, which is referred to as avatar identification (Soutter and Hitchens, 2016 ). Avatar identification is a fusion of the player’s self-concept and the perceived properties of the avatar, which can be measured in terms of cognitive dimensions (T’ng and Pau, 2021 ). In recent years, MOBA games have gradually enhanced the personalized features of character avatars, such as allowing players to match appearances, actions, and special effects in different colors and shapes to create a unique personal image, which may help players identify with their avatars. Kosa and Uysal ( 2022 ) argued that the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness show a certain degree of overlap. Many scholars have then argued that avatars can better satisfy the three main psychological needs that promote self-motivation to explain positive outcomes: self-competition for autonomy through avatars viewing their own efforts as independent of others; experiencing a sense of competence by seeing themselves performing well through avatars; and relevance through increased identification (Barathi et al., 2018 ; Koulouris et al., 2020 ). Furthermore, research by other scholars also points out that an individual’s avatar is closely related to their intrinsic motivations, namely the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Kao et al., 2021 ; Berberović et al., 2023 ). In the context of MOBA games, many player behaviors are mediated through the avatar, such as freely customizing the avatar and controlling it in battle, achieving victories and accomplishments through the avatar in the game, and forming social connections with the game world and other players. Therefore, the avatar in MOBA games can be seen as a vehicle for the player’s basic psychological needs, and the identification with the avatar is largely related to the satisfaction of the player’s needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. On the other hand, Mustafa et al. ( 2023 ) saw the need to combine SDT with similar theories and their associated features to fully synthesize intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for in-depth study. In social comparison theory (SCT), it is believed that people assess their own opinions and abilities by comparing them with those of others respectively, and the theory applies social comparison and self-enhancement to increase motivation (Festinger, 1954 ). Comparisons can take two forms: assessing one’s own performance relative to those who perform better (upward comparison) or those who perform worse (downward comparison) (Velez et al., 2018 ). The phenomenon of social comparison is particularly evident in social environments that promote competition and emphasize success (Buunk and Mussweiler, 2001 ; Stapel and Koomen, 2005 ), and in the gaming domain, MOBA games with leaderboard systems are a highly competitive genre. Leaderboards provide an external motivation to enhance one’s performance expectations relative to other players, reshaping the gaming experience into a competition driven by external factors through player comparisons of strength (Velez et al., 2018 ). In order to enhance competition, the MOBA game “Honor of Kings” designs the flow of players’ gaming experience, such as by visualization of players’ gaming performance, as well as by providing the geographic range and friend list leaderboards of each incarnated character, through which it promotes social comparisons among players. However, while this extrinsic motivation can be effective in encouraging individuals to initiate a behavior, it may fail to sustain motivation as time passes (Mustafa et al., 2023 ). Therefore, it is of interest to combine SCT with other theories that support intrinsic motivation for the study of continuous willingness to play. Johnson et al. ( 2015 ) study of interviews with MOBA gamers found that two of the prominent themes in MOBA games were “satisfaction comes from a sense of control” and “competition is highly valued”, both of which can represent intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to some extent. SDT is a practical framework for collecting and examining data on motivation and behavioral change, and combining it with SCT can help to compensate for the limitations of SDT as a single framework (Mustafa et al., 2023 ). Therefore, this study aims to advance the research on players’ sustained motivation and behavior in the highly competitive MOBA game ranking mode. The following sections will sort out the research variables and propose research hypotheses. Social comparison SCT is based on the idea that people can reliably assess their ideas and abilities (Festinger, 1954 ), and the phenomenon of social comparison is particularly evident in social environments that promote competition and emphasize success. Leaderboards provide an external motivation to enhance one’s performance expectations relative to other players, reshaping the gaming experience into a competition driven by external factors through player comparisons of strength (Velez et al., 2018 ). A study by Esteves et al. ( 2021 ) suggested that downward comparison is one of the most influential factors in changing the continuous willingness to play one of these games. Wolf et al. ( 2018 ) study of gamified digital services noted that social comparison drives continuous usage behavior when users act on perceived pressure, which stems from not wanting to feel shame for quitting or wanting to be appreciated for performing well. Esteves et al. ( 2021 ) study showed that most social comparisons influence online social game enjoyment and enhance players’ willingness to continue playing. A previous study showed that downward comparison behavior of MOBA game players can generate positive emotional valence and positively promote their continuous gaming behavior. In the ranking mode of the MOBA game “Honor of Kings”, the system highlights players ranked at a high level (compared with the worst performers), such as by indicating that “the strength of the Council exceeds 95% of players with the same role”, which makes players unconsciously engage in downward comparisons more frequently. In summary, it is hypothesized that social comparison by players in MOBA game ranking mode will enhance their willingness to continue playing, thus we propose the following hypothesis: H1: In MOBA game ranking mode, social comparison positively influences players’ continuous willingness. The mediating role of avatar identification Social information about others can influence people’s self-perception and enjoyment of an activity by triggering social comparison processes (Wolf et al., 2018 ). In the game context, avatar identification refers to the extent to which the player perceives the avatar as an extension of themselves (Moon et al., 2013 ), and is a combination of the player’s self-concept and perceived properties of the avatar (T’ng and Pau, 2021 ), which can largely reflect the intrinsic motivation of gamers’ behaviors. Some academic studies have subdivided it into dimensional factors, while others have treated it as a unidimensional structure (Seo et al., 2017 ; Sioni et al., 2017 ). Since this study focuses on the overall impact of avatar identification on players’ behavioral intentions, it is similarly treated as a unidimensional structure. Normally, under cognitive motivation, individuals compare themselves to others and obtain information that they use to assess themselves and as motivation for improvement (Esteves et al., 2021 ). Since avatar identification represents the degree to which players extend their identity and usually encompasses their efficacy expectations, it is also likely to be influenced by social comparison. Kim et al. ( 2007 ) concluded that players’ satisfaction with their avatars was significantly related to the social comparison factor. On the other hand, many studies have confirmed a correlation between gamers’ avatar identification and continuous willingness. Teng ( 2019 ) showed a significant positive correlation between online game players’ avatar identification and continuous willingness. T’ng and Pau ( 2021 ), through a survey of MOBA game players, confirmed that the players’ avatar identification significantly and positively influenced excessive gaming behavior. Mustafa et al. ( 2023 ) indicated that individuals can progress from involuntary or controlled forms of motivation to more autonomous forms of motivation, that SCT and SDT can provide insights into extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation, respectively, and that avatars can explain positive outcomes by better meeting the three basic psychological needs that promote self-motivation (Barathi et al., 2018 ; Koulouris et al., 2020 ). In MOBA game ranking mode, the game system usually reinforces players’ identification with their characters through different means in order to enhance player stickiness. In summary, it can be assumed that player’s avatar identification in MOBA game ranking mode has a mediating effect between social comparison and continuous willingness, thus we propose the following hypotheses: H2: Social comparison positively influences players’ avatar identification in MOBA game ranking mode. H3: In MOBA game ranking mode, players’ avatar identification positively influences their continuous willingness, and avatar identification mediates the role between social comparison and continuous willingness. The moderating effect of game frustration Kosa and Uysal ( 2022 ) argue that investigating how frustration plays a role in gaming is a valuable future research agenda. In the gaming context, frustration can refer to making little or no progress in achieving one’s goals due to limited skills and daunting challenges in the task (Csikszentmihalyi and Csikszentmihalyi, 1988 ). Although previous studies have addressed the frustrating and demanding aspects of gaming, these studies typically investigated the effects of frustration in life on willingness to play, while research on game-induced frustration is scarce, sometimes games intentionally create player frustration with the goal of eliciting greater engagement and satisfaction (Kosa and Uysal, 2022 ). The relationship between social comparison and continuous willingness is likely to be affected by game frustration. Because social comparison can enhance competitive motivation (Suls et al., 2002 ), thereby positively influencing players’ sustained gaming intentions. In situations where game frustration is high, competitive motivation has a greater impact on sustained gaming intentions. For example, Larche et al. ( 2017 ) found that when the near-success of the frustration caused a stronger physiological arousal, and the strongest urge to continue the game. Rawsthorne and Elliot ( 1999 ) argued that if players are determined to succeed in online games, then a single game frustration may not be sufficient to deter them or change their motivation to continue playing, and game frustration will not likely directly reduce their continuous willingness to play. A study of internet gaming disorder in MOBA games suggests that strong competitive motivation and high levels of frustration drive players to compete with others to achieve dominance (T’ng et al., 2022 ), i.e., players’ continuous willingness to play will likely be enhanced by the combined effects of social comparison and game frustration. Similarly, game frustration is likely to affecte the relationship between social comparison and avatar identification. Chen et al. ( 2022 ) suggested that players with strong competitive motivations have a stronger desire to win and embrace the difficulties and competitions in games. They invest more resources into gaming, leading to a stronger sense of avatar identification. This subtle frustration during gameplay is closely related to the three fundamental psychological motivational needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which contribute to a positive gaming experience (Boulton et al., 2017 ; Kosa and Uysal, 2022 ). An increasing number of scholars support the idea that blending negative emotions with positive ones can provide an overall positive experience (Fokkinga and Desmet, 2012 ). Scholars have found that MOBA gamers’ comparison behavior with lower-skilled players generates positive emotional valence, which, when combined with frustration, is likely to enhance their level of avatar identification and continuous willingness to play. From the perspective of SDT, in the MOBA game ranking mode where comparison behaviors frequently occur, players’ frustration is likely to stimulate their pursuit of reestablishing a sense of self-worth and control, manifested in avatar identification and sustained gaming intentions. In summary, hypothesizing that gaming frustration positively moderates the relationship between social comparison and both avatar identification and continuous willingness, we propose the following hypotheses: H4: Game frustration positively moderates the strength of the effect of social comparison on continuous willingness to play in MOBA game ranking mode. H5: Game frustration positively moderates the strength of the effect of player social comparison on avatar identification in MOBA game ranking mode. Based on the above, we have constructed a conceptual model (a moderated mediation model) with social comparison as the independent variable, avatar identification, and game frustration as the mediating variable and moderating variable, respectively, and continuous intention as the dependent variable, as shown in Fig. 1 . Fig. 1: Conceptual model.