Unveiling Motivations behind Purchasing Loot Boxes: A Study on the Online Gaming Behavior toward Micro-Spending Game-Items

Given the expansion of the digital economy and the rapid growth of the online gaming industry, this study’s exploration into this behavioral phenomenon is timely and relevant. Even though game publishers are reporting loot box earnings in the hundreds of millions of dollars, governmental organizations are still debating whether to define loot boxes as a form of gambling and so regulate them. This research investigates the influence of social value, emotional value, and functional value on players’ motivation to purchase randomized microtransactions and their intention to obtain virtual goods in online gaming environments. All the independent variables under examination are posited to have a positive and significant effect on purchase motivation but only one variable; emotional value, had an effect for the intention to obtain virtual goods, which in particular is theorized to play a pivotal role in influencing these behaviors, given its inherent ties to enjoyment, immersion, and personal gratification. The research draws on a range of prior studies and employs a robust methodological approach of 121 samples to provide insights for this matter. The expected findings of this research have potential implications, not only for game developers and marketers, but also for policymakers, particularly those concerned with consumer protection in digital markets.