The Moderating Effect of Reference Group on Online Game Loyalty: Focused on Hedonic Information System

Abstract

This study approaches online games from the perspective of the hedonic information system and presents a theoretical model to explain online game acceptance by expanding the study of van der Heijden and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The important variables of this model included perceived usefulness, perceived easiness, and perceived pleasure. Also, we investigate a moderating effect of personal reference group on online game acceptance. The subjects were divided into the high reference group (196 persons) and the low reference group (138 persons) based on the median value of reference group using the SEM(Structural Equation Model) method. An empirical analysis of the subjects found that perceived easiness, perceived pleasure, and perceived usefulness of the game influenced the intent of acceptance and game loyalty in the total group, in that order. On the other hand, comparative research of the two groups based reference group found that the high reference group showed high intent of game acceptance if a game agreed with the subjects’ useful and easy values, even if it was somewhat inconvenient, whilst perceived pleasure of a game was the greatest influencing factor in the low reference group. In addition, in the relationship of intent of acceptance and loyalty, the low reference group showed high loyalty.