THE INFLUENCE OF ONLINE GAME GOODS CHARACTERISTICS ON USERS' PURCHASE INTENTION

Abstract

Freemium-based MMORPGs increasingly depend on the sale of virtual items as a primary source of revenue and a means of sustaining player involvement. Despite this trend, limited scholarly attention has been devoted to understanding how distinct attributes of these items influence players’ perceptions of value and their intentions to purchase. This study explores the effects of four item characteristics, namely advancement, competition, interactivity, and customisation, on perceived value, and subsequently examines how perceived value shapes players’ purchasing intentions. In addition, the research investigates whether product scarcity moderates the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention by reinforcing the strength of this association. Drawing on survey data from 368 active players of Tianya Mingyue Dao, a widely played Chinese open-world MMORPG, the findings demonstrate that all four attributes significantly contribute to perceived value. Perceived value, in turn, exerts a positive effect on purchase intention. Furthermore, perceived scarcity is shown to significantly moderate this link, heightening the transformation of perceived value into behavioural intention. The study advances the literature on virtual consumption by offering a more nuanced understanding of value creation within game-based economies and provides practical implications for scarcity-oriented design strategies in digital marketplaces.