Why Do Viewers Engage in Video Game Streaming? The Perspective of Cognitive Emotion Theory and the Moderation Effect of Personal Characteristics

Abstract

Video game streaming (VGS) has attracted millions of users and shown unprecedented growth globally. With technological development, these appealing media have largely influenced the sustainable development of society and the economy. VGS creates a pleasant atmosphere and provides various novel features to please the viewers, induce positive emotions, and facilitate users’ engagement. Integrating several personal characteristics as moderators, this study applied cognitive emotion theory to explore the antecedent of viewers’ engagement in VGS. Using 308 empirical data, the research results reveal that broadcaster attractiveness and the para-social relationship are positively associated with the viewers’ positive emotion, which eventually leads to engagement. In addition, personal characteristics play significant roles as moderators between VGS features and the viewers’ positive emotions. The results provide theoretical implications for VGS research and useful insights for VGS platform managers and policymakers to enable a sustainable profit model and the growth of VGS.

A systematic review on spectator behavior in esports: why do people watch?

“…, 2020), arousal (Xu et al. , 2021a), entertainment and enjoyment (Xu et al. , 2021b) were positively associated with esports spectatorship.…”

“…Other psychological constructs were identified as antecedents: broadcaster appeal, medium appeal, perceived co-viewer involvement, arousal, cognitive involvement (Xu et al. , 2021a), broadcaster attractiveness, bullet-screen interaction, positive emotion (Xu et al. , 2021b).…”

“…, 2022; Xu et al. , 2021a, b). Moreover, esports research lacks experimental designs, since only one paper was quasi-experimental.…”

“…, 2018; Sjöblom and Hamari, 2017; Xu et al. , 2021a, b). Similar to the thematical agenda calling for more variables and different approaches, the theoretical agenda calls for additional variables, negatively worded variables (e.g.…”

“…Several antecedents were identified: demand ("consumers' expectations towards the features and attributes of the core product"; Qian et al, 2019b, p. 3), flow experience (Kim and Kim, 2020), emotional engagement (Lim et al, 2020), motivation (Brown et al, 2017;Cabeza-Ram ırez et al, 2020;Hamari and Sj€ oblom, 2017;Hilvert-Bruce et al, 2018;Kim and Kim, 2020;Ma et al, 2021;Pizzo et al, 2018;Qian et al, 2019aQian et al, , 2020Rogers et al, 2022;Sj€ oblom et al, , 2020Tang et al, 2022;Wulf et al, 2018;Xiao, 2020), need (competence, autonomy and relatedness; Qian et al, 2022), parasocial relationship (Lim et al, 2020;Wulf et al, 2018;Xu et al, 2021b), push and pull factors (Qian et al, 2020), sports fandom (Tang et al, 2022), SOR framework , structural factors (Brown et al, 2017;Cabeza-Ram ırez et al, 2020;Hamari and Sj€ oblom, 2017;Jang et al, 2021b;Kim and Kim, 2020;Ma et al, 2021;Qian et al, 2019b;Tang et al, 2022;Wulf et al, 2018;Xiao, 2020;Xu et al, 2021a), self-perception as a player, professional esports team/streamer identification (Cabeza-Ram ırez et al, 2020;Jang et al, 2021b;Lim et al, 2020;Qian et al, 2019b) and subjective well-bei...…”