Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the antecedents of peer recommendations (generating positive word-of-mouth and recruiting others) in the context of mobile social games.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the needs–supplies fit framework and social identity theory, this paper proposes that game design characteristics (challenge, fairness, innovativeness and ease of use) influence game identification, which further predicts word-of-mouth (WOM) generation and recruitment intention. This paper further suggests fits between gamer orientation (passing time and seeking achievements) and game design lead to enhanced game identification. The model was tested using data from an empirical survey with 767 mobile social gamers.

Findings

Game challenge, game fairness, game innovativeness and ease of use are positively associated with game identification, whereas game identification positively predicts WOM generation and recruitment intention. Achievement-seeking use was found to enhance the effects of game challenge and game fairness on game identification, and passing time use was found to strengthen the effects of game innovativeness and ease of use on game identification.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study provide operable implications to facilitate peer recommendations in a mobile gaming context. The model was only tested within the context of mobile social games, however, so caution is advised when generalizing the findings to other game subgenres.

Originality/value

This study distinguishes itself from other peer recommendation studies by taking recruitment, a more straightforward and salient form of peer recommendation, into account. This paper enriches theory by investigating the antecedents and consequences of game identification. This study clarifies the underlying mechanism of how game design influences peer recommendations and examines the interactions between game design and gamer orientation.

中文翻译：

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了解移动社交游戏中的同伴推荐：需求-供应匹配和游戏识别的作用

目的

本文的目的是了解移动社交游戏背景下同伴推荐（产生积极的口碑和招募他人）的前因。

设计/方法/方法

借鉴需求-供给匹配框架和社会认同理论，本文提出游戏设计特征（挑战性、公平性、创新性和易用性）影响游戏识别，从而进一步预测口碑（WOM）生成和招聘意向. 本文进一步提出了游戏玩家定位（消磨时间和寻求成就）与游戏设计之间的契合，从而增强了游戏识别。该模型使用来自 767 名移动社交游戏玩家的实证调查数据进行了测试。

发现

游戏挑战、游戏公平性、游戏创新性和易用性与游戏识别正相关，而游戏识别正向预测 WOM 生成和招募意向。发现寻求成就使用增强了游戏挑战和游戏公平性对游戏识别的影响，发现消磨时间使用增强了游戏创新性和易用性对游戏识别的影响。

研究限制/影响

本研究的结果为促进移动游戏环境中的同行推荐提供了可操作的启示。然而，该模型仅在移动社交游戏的背景下进行了测试，因此在将研究结果推广到其他游戏子类型时要谨慎。

原创性/价值

本研究通过考虑招聘这一更直接和突出的同行推荐形式，将自己与其他同行推荐研究区分开来。本文通过研究博弈识别的前因和后果来丰富理论。本研究阐明了游戏设计如何影响同伴推荐的潜在机制，并检验了游戏设计与玩家导向之间的相互作用。