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Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends

Gen-Yih Liao (Department of Information Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan) (Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan)
Tzu-Ling Huang (Graduate Institute of Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan)
Alan R. Dennis (Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA)
Ching-I Teng (Graduate Institute of Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan) (Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Main Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan)

Internet Research

ISSN: 1066-2243

Article publication date: 31 July 2023

249

Abstract

Purpose

Online games are popular applications of Internet technology, with over 2.8 billion users worldwide. Many players engage in team gameplay, indicating that online games are suitable media through which players connect with their friends. However, past studies have not examined the ability of games to assist players in connecting with their friends, indicating a gap. To fill this gap, the authors propose a new concept, the friend-connecting affordance, which is the ability of an online game to enable players to contact friends within the game.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors built a model to explain how games' friend-connecting affordances influence game loyalty. The authors gathered responses from 1,347 online players and used structural equation modeling to test the model.

Findings

The authors found that friend-connecting affordances and team participation influence game loyalty. Gaming intensity and gaming history can moderate the impact of friend-connecting affordances.

Originality/value

This new affordance can be realized through various game elements, offering unique and actionable insights to game makers. The authors also compared the friend-connecting affordances among a number of popular online games, providing insights specific to each game and increasing the practical value of the findings.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Since acceptance of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliations: Gen-Yih Liao is also affiliated to: Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan. Tzu-Ling Huang is affiliated to the Department of Information Management, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan. Ching-I Teng is also affiliated to the Department of Business and Management, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taishan, Taiwan. Alan R. Dennis is the co-corresponding author.

The authors thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 111-2410-H-182-008-MY2).

Citation

Liao, G.-Y., Huang, T.-L., Dennis, A.R. and Teng, C.-I. (2023), "Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends", Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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