Impact of Social Gratification and Game Design Elements on Social Network Gaming Habit: Mediating Role of Consumer Satisfaction

Abstract

Social Network Games (SNGs) have gained worldwide acceptance and acknowledgment in recent times primarily due to free to play revenue model. The purpose of this paper was to explore the technical and behavioral determinants of social network gaming habit formation among young consumers. Data was collected from a sample of 500 young consumers of SNGs in Pakistan by quantitative approach out of which 461 responses were considered appropriate for data analysis. The survey was conducted via questionnaires and SEM was used as the analytical technique to test the research model. The application of SEM technique showed that both game design elements as well as social gratification are critical to the formation of social network gaming habit among young consumers of Pakistan. The study contributes to the literature of social network gaming sector by establishing the mechanism in which SNG service providers can take advantage from the technical as well as behavioral strategies to strengthen social network gaming habit among individuals. Social network gaming is an emerging sector and it is imperative for SNG service providers to know more about it, but little consideration is given to this phenomenon. The current study fills the gap by examining the degree to which technical and behavioral factors help in formation of social network gaming habit.

Keywords – Social media marketing, export performance, SMEs, B2B, SEM