Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends
ISSN: 1066-2243
Article publication date: 31 July 2023
Issue publication date: 19 July 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Online games are popular applications of Internet technology, with over 2.8 billion users worldwide. Many players engage in team gameplay, indicating that online games are suitable media through which players connect with their friends. However, past studies have not examined the ability of games to assist players in connecting with their friends, indicating a gap. To fill this gap, the authors propose a new concept, the friend-connecting affordance, which is the ability of an online game to enable players to contact friends within the game.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors built a model to explain how games' friend-connecting affordances influence game loyalty. The authors gathered responses from 1,347 online players and used structural equation modeling to test the model.
Findings
The authors found that friend-connecting affordances and team participation influence game loyalty. Gaming intensity and gaming history can moderate the impact of friend-connecting affordances.
Originality/value
This new affordance can be realized through various game elements, offering unique and actionable insights to game makers. The authors also compared the friend-connecting affordances among a number of popular online games, providing insights specific to each game and increasing the practical value of the findings.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Since acceptance of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliations: Gen-Yih Liao is also affiliated to: Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan. Tzu-Ling Huang is affiliated to the Department of Information Management, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan. Ching-I Teng is also affiliated to the Department of Business and Management, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taishan, Taiwan. Alan R. Dennis is the co-corresponding author.
The authors thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 111-2410-H-182-008-MY2).
Citation
Liao, G.-Y., Huang, T.-L., Dennis, A.R. and Teng, C.-I. (2024), "Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends", Internet Research, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 1249-1272. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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