Purpose: This paper aims to explore and better the perception of video game products in the eyes of consumers. It focuses on understanding the video game industry from a holistic consumer-based perspective. This is interwoven with research conducted in order to understand the consumer decision-making process (CDMP), attitudes, behaviours and motivations regarding video game products.
Methodology: The approach taken within the study is an exploratory, inductive and qualitative application. This is in order to utilise semi-structured interviews with twenty participants to gain insights on the video game industry in relation to consumer behaviour. The analysis of this data was structured through thematic analysis, and finally discussed with the tenets of grounded theory. In order to define specific theoretical frameworks from a broad research area.
Findings: There are three main behavioural types of video game product consumers. These types are arranged in relation to their differing factored responses. They reveal the intrinsic difference within individual video game consumers in accordance to the frequency they usually play video game products, whether they’re intrinsically or extrinsically motivated and their attitude towards video game products (hedonistic vs utilitarian). It also shows that the notion of the CDMP remains the same for all video game consumers due to the nature of its products, and the tendency for buyers to experience all of the steps of the process.
Implications: This study shines a light on the multitude of factors that influence the consumer during the buying and playing process of video game products. It aids those in the marketing positions, by revealing how consumers may react to certain products, implying the ways that it could be better marketed for maximised success. It also aids in bettering the understanding of the subjectivity rooted within the consumer mind.
Keywords: Video game industry, Video game product, Consumer behaviour, Consumer attitudes, Consumer decision-making process, Buying process, Motivations, Hedonistic, Utilitarian, Intrinsic, Extrinsic, Marketing, Brand placement.
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