Getting hooked on mobile games: Strengthening purchase intentions towards mobile games using investment model and parasocial interactions

Free-to-play has become a common business strategy in the game market, the associated microtransactions of which have attracted academic attention. In recent years, gacha games have gathered a considerable consumer base in the mobile gaming market, and these players have demonstrated strong purchasing power with regard to additional game resources. Within the framework of parasocial interaction and the investment model, this study explored factors influencing players’ game commitment and purchase intentions. This study used structural equation modeling and moderation analysis to examine data collected from 2,045 Chinese mobile game players. Satisfaction and investment size were positively correlated with game commitment and in-game purchase intention. Perceived alternatives were negatively correlated with game commitment. Furthermore, parasocial interaction was positively correlated with satisfaction, investment size, and game commitment and negatively correlated with perceived alternatives. The results indicate that these correlations were moderated by game genre.