Emotions and online gaming experiences: An examination of MMORPG gamers from India and the United States

Abstract

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) constitute a genre of online games that has enjoyed phenomenal market success due to in-game purchases and push advertising. Despite the genre's popularity, little is known about players' experiences with these games. Using an Indian panel of 319 players and a U.S. panel of 425 players, we examined multiple game experiences and the impacts of each on players' satisfaction and replay intentions. Study 1 explored Indian players' positive and negative feelings; findings showed that positive feelings positively influenced flow, immersive, and social experiences, whereas negative feelings had no significant effects on other game experiences. Study 2 addressed U.S. players' game experiences as well as their satisfaction and replay intentions. While positive feelings and flow experiences positively affected players' satisfaction and replay intentions, immersive experience did not. Social experiences played a positive role in players' satisfaction but did not influence their replay intentions. Results highlight the importance of positive game experiences and carry managerial implications for game marketers and designers.