Character Customization With Cosmetic Microtransactions in Games: Subjective Experience and Objective Performance

Free games that are monetized by selling virtual items, such as cosmetic microtransactions for one’s avatar, seem to offer a better gaming experience to paying players. To experimentally explore this phenomenon, the effects of character customization with cosmetic microtransactions on objective and self-estimated player performance, subjective identification with the avatar, fun and the players’ perceived competence were examined in the game League of Legends. This study introduces a new laboratory-based, experimental task to objectively measure within-game player performance. Each participant performed this game-based task in two different conditions: With a character that was customized using a provided set of cosmetic microtransactions and with a default character. Results showed that customization increased subjective identification with the player character. However, objective performance measures were unaffected by this manipulation although the novel experimental approach provided reliable performance results. Additionally, identification was positively related to perceived competence, fun, and self-estimated performance. Implications for the design of cosmetic microtransactions and their influence on competitive gaming are discussed.

A perspective on value co-creation processes in eSports service ecosystems

PurposeElectronic Sports (eSports) is an emerging sector of the sports and entertainment industry experiencing an accelerated increase in consumer and sponsor demand. This paper aims to study selected cases of eSports service ecosystems, to identify similarities and differences and to understand the different roles, relationships and multiple interactions of actors involved in value co-creation processes.Design/methodology/approachThis empirical paper follows the service-dominant logic to highlight value creation. Based on the sport value framework, an organizing logic for the actors in sports-related ecosystems to exchange service and co-create value, the authors apply the conceptualization of an eSports service ecosystem framework in which actors create value through their interactions. A case study approach was applied to qualitatively describe two cases of value co-creation by multiple actors during three eSports events. Case study 1a is the 2019 League of Legends World Championship Finals in Paris. Case study 1b is the 2020 League of Legends World Championship Finals in Shanghai. Case study 2 is the BLAST Premier Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Global Final 2020, which was entirely virtual.FindingsThe outcome is an empirically investigated conceptual framework of multiple actors co-creating value within a service ecosystem in eSports. The insights of the cases explain how actors interact with each other and co-create value during events in eSports ecosystems. The cases illustrate interactions in the context of eSports where the actors are connected within ecosystems. This enables further development of a value co-creation concept and a better understanding of value co-creation in eSports.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research by explicating a theoretically grounded framework for eSports service ecosystems based on empirical evidence. This research extends the scope of value co-creation beyond the firm–customer dyad to a service ecosystem in eSports, demonstrating the dynamic interactions of multiple actors.

“Because I'm Bad at the Game!” A Microanalytic Study of Self Regulated Learning in League of Legends

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a form of learning guided by the student's own meta-cognition, motivation, and strategic action, often in the absence of an educator. The use of SRL processes and skills has been demonstrated across numerous academic and non-academic contexts including athletics. However, manifestation of these processes within esports has not been studied. Similar to traditional athletes, esports players' performance is likely correlated with their ability to engage SRL skills as they train. Thus, the study of SRL in the context of esports would be valuable in supporting players' learning and mastery of play through specialized training and computational support. Further, an understanding of how SRL manifests in esports would highlight new opportunities to use esports in education. Existing work on SRL in games, however, predominantly focuses on educational games. In this work, we aim to take a first step in the study of SRL in esports by replicating Kitsantas and Zimmerman's (2002) volleyball study in the context of League of Legends. We compared the self-regulatory processes of expert, non-expert, and novice League of Legends players, and found that there were significant differences for processes in the forethought phase. We discuss three implications of these findings: what they mean for the development of future computational tools for esports players, implications that esports may be able to teach SRL skills that transfer to academics, and what educational technology can learn from esports to create more effective tools.

Weighting the Position & Skillset of Players in League of Legends Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Today, esports such as League of Legends are a popular form of competition using video games. Many researchers have conducted studies in the esports field such as player psychology, training, and physical exercise; however, those that apply quantitative techniques are still scarce. In this paper, Analytic Hierarchy Process is proposed for weighting position and skillsets of players in League of Legends. It is hypothesized by the developer that pairwise comparison can be used to derive priority scale through the judgment of experts. A questionnaire is designed to obtain pairwise comparison from players which are then used to develop the priority scale. The empirical results obtained show the weightage of position and skillset of each player. This weightage shows the priorities of certain position compared to other positions, and the priorities of skillsets needed to perform well in each position, based on their judgment. The results can be used to determine the most suitable players for each position with the right skillset quantitatively and systematically.

Why Do Some Users Become Enticed to Cheating in Competitive Online Games? An Empirical Study of Cheating Focused on Competitive Motivation, Self-Esteem, and Aggression

Cheating, the act of winning in a competition based on unfair advantages over one’s opponents, often occurs in online games (e.g., illegal money exchange, account hacking, and exploiting a bug). With the recent flourishing of competitive tournament games online, such as League of Legends (LoL) and Overwatch, cheating has emerged as a serious problem since it not only promotes the de-socialization of gamers but also adversely affects game brands. However, there has little research on this issue in studies on competitive online games. Focused on three psychological factors (i.e., competitive motivation, self-esteem, and aggression), which has been reported to be primarily related to cheating in sports, this paper presents a study that empirically examined the associations between the factors and cheating in competitive online game environments. From survey data of 329 LoL gamers in South Korea, a structural equation model was analyzed. The results showed that gamers with a high degree of competitive motivation are more inclined to cheat in the game. Aggression increased cheating behavior and had a significant relationship with competitive motivation. Self-esteem decreased the degree of cheating but did not affect competitive motivation. Notably, gaming time negatively influenced cheating. The practical implications of these study results were discussed.

Seek What You Need

In Motive Disposition Theory, the affiliation motive describes our need to form mutually satisfying bonds, whereas the power motive is the wish to influence others. To understand how these social motives shape play experience, we explore their relationship to Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory in League of Legends. We find that: higher intimacy motivation is associated with greater relatedness satisfaction, autonomy satisfaction, enjoyment, and the flow dimension of absorption; higher prosocial motivation with more effort invested and the flow dimension fluency of performance; and higher dominance motivation with lower relatedness satisfaction but higher competence satisfaction and increased flow in both dimensions. We demonstrate that in addition to being driven to satisfy universal needs, players also possess individualized needs that explain our underlying motives and ultimately shape our gaming preferences and experiences. Our results suggest that people do not merely gravitate towards need-supportive situations, but actively seek, change, and create situations based on their individualized motives.

WHAT IS BEHIND THE (GLASS)DOOR? EXAMINING TOXIC WORKPLACE CULTURES VIA AN EMPLOYMENT REVIEW SITE

Launched in 2008 as a site to collect the anonymous perspectives of current and former employees as well as their self-reported salaries, Glassdoor.com has grown to be a top destination for American job seekers wanting to learn more about the work environment of particular companies. Using reviewed posted by current and former Riot Games employees (the developer behind League of Legends) as a case study, I argue that Glassdoor is an easily accessible yet underutilized public yet anonymous resource for scholars interested in a peek ‘behind the curtain’ of industries reliant on non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements, such as the games industry. In this paper I report on my ongoing analysis of 740 current and former employee reviews of Riot posted to Glassdoor between October 2009 and March 2021. Riot is a particularly fruitful case study as it is a company that has been criticized for creating a toxic work environment, with sexual harassment and a lack of promotions for women being frequently discussed in the games media. As a result of this analysis, I argue it provides ample evidence to indicate that Glassdoor can be a fruitful venue for media industry scholars interested in better understanding employee perspectives about 'notorious' companies while mitigating potential harm to informants who might otherwise be reluctant to speak ‘on the record’ about an industry that remains resistant to change.

Measuring Players’ Experience of Need Satisfaction in Digital Games: An Analysis of the Factor Structure of the UPEQ

In this work, we explore the factorial structure of the Ubisoft Perceived Experience Questionnaire (UPEQ) and its correlation with game enjoyment. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted on the experience with the video game League of Legends. Three hundred and sixty-nine participants provided information about their in- and out-of-game demographics and rated their experience with the game using the UPEQ and the subscale Interest/Enjoyment from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. Using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, we found weaknesses in the 3-factor model of the UPEQ and propose a 6- or 7-factor structure as a basis for new research and improvement of the UPEQ.