Downloading digital video games: predictors, moderators and consequences

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how personal and social factors influence attitudes towards downloading pirated games from the internet. It also examines the moderators between attitudes and intention to download pirated digital video games.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted using convenience samples in a large university in Western Australia. The data were analysed mostly through regression models.FindingsSelf‐efficacy, affect and moral judgement have significant influences upon attitudes towards downloading pirated games from the internet. Conversely, habits, facilitating conditions and social factors do not have significant influences upon attitudes towards downloading pirated games from the internet. In addition, attitudes towards downloading pirated digital video games from the internet have a significant influence upon the intention to download pirated digital video games from the internet. It is also found that the level of internet usage, the level of internet time spent and the internet speed do not moderate the relationship between attitudes and intention to download pirated games from the internet.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation is the use of a convenience sample. Therefore, future research should replicate and extend this study by using more valid random samples. In addition, qualitative approach, field experiment and foolspeed campaign analysis need to be considered to gain a better understanding of why internet users indulge in games piracy.Practical implicationsAuthorities should create awareness campaigns about digital video games piracy to alert the public about the risk of being caught and the consequence of unethical behaviour. Managers, marketers and policy makers should collaborate to combat piracy to prevent illegal downloading of free pirated games in the future.Originality/valueThe paper assesses the impact of six antecedents and the attitudes towards downloading pirated digital video games from the internet that will lead to the intention to download pirated digital video games from the Internet.

Leveraging the co-evolution of offline and online video games: an empirical study

“…This represents an acknowledgement from within the academic community that there is a need to research video games (software) as separate entities from consoles (hardware) and to identify how online shopping has influenced consumer purchasing decisions for video games (Clements &Ohashi, 2005;Phau &Liang, 2012). The beliefs of experts regarding the strategic benefits of online shopping in relation to consumer purchasing decisions for video games complement the data found in recent reports (PWC, 2013;GTAI, 2013;Orsini et al, 2013).…”

“…Government incentives also support the rise of online shopping, where planned games tax reliefs have enabled game developers and digital publishers to compete on a "level playing field"to facilitate the development of a low carbon game industry based on digital distribution . In addition, evidence supports the relationship between online shopping and searching and purchase intentions toward video games (Zhu &Zhang, 2010;Davis et al, 2013;Phau &Liang, 2012;Zackariasson &Wilson, 2010).…”

“…Research into online shopping and video games supports the notion that video gaming consumption is moving toward purchasing via the Internet (Dyer-Witheford &De Peuter, 2009; Zackariasson &Wilson, 2010;Hennig-Thurau et al, 2010;Landsman &Stremersch, 2011;Stuart, 2012;Phau &Liang, 2012;Bradley et al, 2012). Building on the concept of channel lock advocated by Verhoef et al (2007), research indicates that video game consumers (both potential users and other existing users) increasingly rely on user reviews and sales information when searching for product attributes.…”

“…Downloadable content refers to the extension of a product's lifetime through small payments designed to enhance a game text, to which the consumer already has access, in order to access additional game content (Lizardi, 2012). In this context, it is posited that the extension of video game purchasing has galvanised online purchasing, and research into consumer attitudes toward downloading pirated video games validates this assertion as consumers have expressed a strong affection to downloading pirated games from the Internet (Phau &Liang, 2012).…”

Investigating the impact of young consumers’ religiosity on digital piracy

“…First, our samples were derived from a mostly younger population from one city in Indonesia. Students represent a major consumer segment for digital piracy (Aleassa et al, ; Phau & Liang, ). In addition, the study did not control respondents’ income which may be attributed to higher intention to pirate .…”