Short answer

Design and marketing efforts should focus on enhancing the perceived enjoyability and ease of use of a game, using its esports presence as a key driver, to cultivate player loyalty and encourage in-game purchases.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL) (2020)
Method: Quantitative research
Evidence: Strong effect

Watching esports, driven by a desire for knowledge acquisition and aesthetic appreciation, positively influences players' perception of a game's enjoyability and ease of use, which in turn fosters loyalty and purchase intention for virtual items. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL). Using Quantitative research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design and marketing efforts should focus on enhancing the perceived enjoyability and ease of use of a game, using its esports presence as a key driver, to cultivate player loyalty and encourage in-game purchases.

Study

Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Esports viewership drives in-game purchases through perceived enjoyability and ease of use.

Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL) · 2020

Key Findings

01Two primary motivations for watching esports were identified: knowledge acquisition and aesthetics.
02These motivations positively influence players' perception of the game's enjoyability and ease of use.
03Customer loyalty is a significant predictor of purchase intention for virtual items.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When developing or marketing free-to-play games, consider how esports content can be used to communicate game value, improve player perception, and build loyalty, ultimately driving monetization through virtual goods.

Project actions

01When researching a product, consider how related media or events (like esports) influence user perception and purchasing decisions.
02Use surveys to gather data on user motivations and their impact on behavior.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the relationship between esports viewership motivations, perceived game qualities, customer loyalty, and purchase intention for virtual items in free-to-play games.

MethodQuantitative research

ProcedureA quantitative questionnaire was distributed to online communities focused on esports and League of Legends. The collected data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed relationships between variables.

ContextFree-to-play video games, specifically League of Legends, and the esports industry.

Variables

IV["Motivations for watching esports (knowledge acquisition, aesthetics)"]

DV["Perceived game enjoyability","Perceived game ease of use","Customer loyalty","Purchase intention of virtual items"]

CV["Game context (League of Legends)","Business model (free-to-play)","Esports community"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Addresses a gap in research by linking esports consumption to video game consumption.
+Utilizes a robust statistical method (PLS-SEM) for analyzing complex relationships.

Limitations

Self-reported data can be subjective. The specific motivations for watching esports might vary greatly between different games and cultures.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the findings would depend on the consistency of responses across participants and the validity would be assessed by how well the model accurately represents the relationships between the studied variables.

Think critically

To what extent can the observed effects be attributed to the specific design of League of Legends versus general principles of esports engagement?

Design Principles

"The perceived value and accessibility of a product, enhanced by community engagement and expert demonstration, can significantly influence user loyalty and purchasing behavior."

Understanding the psychological drivers behind esports viewership can inform strategies for free-to-play game monetization. By enhancing the perceived value and accessibility of a game through its esports presence, developers can cultivate a more engaged player base that is more likely to invest in virtual goods.

What This Means for Your Design

Watching esports makes people like a game more and want to buy things in it because they learn from it and find it cool.

How to use in your project

1.This study can inform the 'Analysis' section by providing a framework for understanding how external engagement (esports) influences user behavior and economic outcomes within a product ecosystem.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research indicates that motivations for esports viewership, such as knowledge acquisition and aesthetic appreciation, positively influence players' perceptions of a game's enjoyability and ease of use. This enhanced perception, in turn, fosters customer loyalty and increases the intention to purchase virtual items, a critical factor for the profitability of free-to-play business models.

Source

Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL)

Investigating the role of eSport on the free to play business model: An analysis of league of legends economic success

journal · 2020

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about esports viewership drives in-game purchases through perceived enjoyability and ease of use?: Design and marketing efforts should focus on enhancing the perceived enjoyability and ease of use of a game, using its esports presence as a key driver, to cultivate player loyalty and encourage in-game purchases. Evidence: Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL) (2020).
Why does "Esports viewership drives in-game purchases through perceived enjoyability and ease of use." matter for design?: Understanding the psychological drivers behind esports viewership can inform strategies for free-to-play game monetization. By enhancing the perceived value and accessibility of a game through its esports presence, developers can cultivate a more engaged player base that is more likely to invest in virtual goods.
How can designers apply this research?: Design and marketing efforts should focus on enhancing the perceived enjoyability and ease of use of a game, using its esports presence as a key driver, to cultivate player loyalty and encourage in-game purchases.
What were the main findings?: Two primary motivations for watching esports were identified: knowledge acquisition and aesthetics.. These motivations positively influence players' perception of the game's enjoyability and ease of use.. Customer loyalty is a significant predictor of purchase intention for virtual items.
What research method was used?: Quantitative research.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2020 journal from Repositório Institucional do ISCTE-IUL (ISCTE-IUL).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing or marketing free-to-play games, consider how esports content can be used to communicate game value, improve player perception, and build loyalty, ultimately driving monetization through virtual goods.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are specific to the context of League of Legends and may not be generalizable to all free-to-play games or esports titles. The reliance on self-reported data from online communities could introduce biases.