Why do free-to-play game users pay for? : Mediating effects between flow and intention to purchase virtual assets

Abstract

Free-to-play games has arisen with new business model to make profits. But, the reason people pay for the virtual assets is hardly explained with the concept of flow mainly used to account for the intention to pur-chase. It seems that the concept of flow experience was rather wrongly accepted. The flow experience was con-sidered as optimal experience from previous study. However, recent research argued it has not included any affection or cognition state. Nevertheless, the flow as a rewarding experience is highly associated with these states. Most findings about the consequential states of flow were satisfaction and loyalty which are regarded as each affection, and cognition state. Therefore, this study had an effort to figure out the mediating effects of them between the flow and intention to purchase virtual assets. As a result, it was identified that the state of flow has no impact on purchase intention when satisfaction and loyalty exist as mediators. Furthermore, satis-faction and loyalty are similarly affected by flow experience. But, loyalty shows a stronger influence on the intention to purchase virtual assets than satisfaction. At the end of paper, it is discussed about the academic and practical contribution of findings.