Investigating the continuance intention to play massively multi-player online games

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) have been one of the fastest growing online entertainments and attracted a great sum of venture investment. Yet, little empirical research has been conducted to examine the interrelationship between gamers’ motivations and post-adoption behaviors. This study attempted to explain gamers’ continuance intention to play MMOGs by integrating motivations for playing MMOGs into the information systems (IS) continuance model. We conducted an online survey with 392 World of Warcraft gamers, and validated the model with structural equation modeling approach. With the majority of hypotheses being substantiated, our results revealed that the extended IS continuance model demonstrates satisfactory predictive power to gamers’ continuance intention to play MMOGs. Achievement and immersion motivations were testified to positively associate with enjoyment, and that enjoyment and satisfaction jointly predict the continuance intention to play MMOGs. The study rounded off with theoretical and practical implications.