Viewership Motivations of Live Game Streaming Via Over-the-Top Apps: Measurement Scale Development and Validation

Abstract

The motivations of viewers of live game streaming (LGS) should be distinguished from those of viewers of esports events and studied with a novel approach reflecting the current media consumption paradigm. The current study used an exploratory approach to identify the viewership motivations of LGS via over-the-top (OTT) apps. First, the downloaders’ data from an LGS app (i.e., Twitch in this study) were reviewed and analyzed with a word-clustering technique. The results were clustered into three attributes, the streamer‒oriented, app function‒oriented, and entertainment attributes. Second, we developed a survey questionnaire based on the literature and the results of the first stage. Third, we tested the measurement scale after a pilot test. Finally, we statistically validated the measurement scale. The study findings may provide extended theoretical implications for future LGS research. Also, the findings can be used to assess how viewers perceive the streamers and the platforms as an evaluation guideline.