Appeal of online computer games: a user perspective
| Pages | 74-78 |
| Published date | 01 February 2004 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470410520131 |
| Date | 01 February 2004 |
| Author | Yuan Gao |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Appeal of online
computer games: a user
perspective
Yuan Gao
Introduction
The user interface of an online computer game
plays an important role in the presentation of
the game. User interface design has been a
topic explored by both researchers and
practitioners. Like any other online
entertainment product, online computer
games attract return visits from players
through a collection of attributes such as the
navigation and menu structure, the use of
animation and color, and functions that
provide online help to players during a
game play.
The question of what effect such features may
have on the presentation of an online computer
game has not been answered extensively in the
literature. Alternative measures of site traffic
and product sales may not directly address the
issue of consumer affection of online
entertainment products.
The linkages between the perceptual
antecedents to an online computer game from
the user's perspective and the attitudinal
consequences and subsequent behavioral
intentions need to be established and verified in
real game-based field studies. This paper
develops its theoretical framework from two
distinct but inherently related streams of
research, the consumer behavior theories in
marketing and advertising research, and the
technology acceptance model (TAM) in
information systems.
Attitude
A visitor's attitude toward an online computer
game affects his or her overall affection of the
product. Such affections could be a direct result
of the use of various hypermedia components in
a computer game, such as graphics, audio, and
animation. Recent research in online consumer
behavior suggests that consumer perceptions of
a Web site influence his or her attitude toward
the site, which in turn influences behavior such
as intention to revisit and intention to purchase
(Ducoffe, 1996; Eighmey, 1997; Koufaris,
2002). In this paper, we consider both attitude
toward the game and intention to return to the
The author
Yuan Gao is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems
at Ramapo College, Mahwah, New Jersey, USA.
Keywords
Computer software, Entertainment, User interfaces,
Perception, Attitude surveys
Abstract
This paper examines the perceptual antecedents of the
appeal of online computer games from the users'
perspective. It proposes a framework that links the perceived
ease of use, perceived entertainment, and perceived
irritation with the appeal of an online computer game,
measured through attitude toward the game and the user's
intention to play again. Results from a field study indicate
that the three proposed perceptual antecedents explain over
60 per cent of variance in both attitude and intention to
return. This research demonstrates that factors contributing
to user perceptions of online games are important aspects of
computer game development. Further research through
experimental studies is also advocated.
Electronic access
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74
The Electronic Library
Volume 22 .Number 1 .2004 .pp. 74-78
#Emerald Group Publishing Limited .ISSN 0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640470410520131
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