research-article

To Triumph or to Socialize? The Role of Gaming Motivations in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Gameplay Preferences

Authors:

Justin W. Bonny, Lisa M. CastanedaAuthors Info & Claims

Simulation & Gaming, Volume 53, Issue 2

Pages 157 - 174

https://doi.org/10.1177/10468781211070624

Published: 01 April 2022 Publication History

Abstract

Background

Individuals choose to engage in multiple types of online team-based video games. Gameplay options allow for player preferences to shape their gaming experience. Within the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, players can decide whether to play matches with familiar or random teammates and whether their performance impacts their skill rating. Individual differences in video game engagement and genre preferences have been connected with player motivations and uses of video games and psychological traits that influence social interactions. The present study examined the extent to which the match preferences of MOBA players related to these factors.

Methods

Individuals attending an international MOBA tournament were recruited for the present research. Player MOBA match selection history was collected along with questionnaires measuring video game uses and gratifications, preference for solitude, tolerance of disagreement, and a test of theory of mind ability.

Results

Three main findings were observed. First, the highest-rated video game motivation was to socially interact with others. Second, players that displayed different preferences for types of MOBA matches varied in social interaction and competition video gameplay motivation scales. Third, although individual differences in fantasy video game motivation were correlated with theory of mind ability and preference for solitude, they did not vary by MOBA match preferences.

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicated that MOBA players were more strongly motivated by social aspects of video gameplay and variations in video game motivation to compete correlated with the extent to which they engaged in different types of MOBA play.

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Cited By

Schlagwoski RHerget FHeimerl NHammerl MHuber TZwolsky PGruca JAndré E(2024)From a Social POV: The Impact of Point of View on Player Behavior, Engagement, and Experience in a Serious Social Simulation GameProceedings of the 19th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3649921.3649936(1-12)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649921.3649936

Index Terms

To Triumph or to Socialize? The Role of Gaming Motivations in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Gameplay Preferences

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cover image Simulation and Gaming

Simulation and Gaming Volume 53, Issue 2

Apr 2022

119 pages

ISSN:1046-8781

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© The Author(s) 2022.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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Sage Publications, Inc.

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Published: 01 April 2022

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Cited By

Schlagwoski RHerget FHeimerl NHammerl MHuber TZwolsky PGruca JAndré E(2024)From a Social POV: The Impact of Point of View on Player Behavior, Engagement, and Experience in a Serious Social Simulation GameProceedings of the 19th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3649921.3649936(1-12)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649921.3649936

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