This study investigates how different types of game-related videos
produced by gamers (user-generated content; UGC) influence game-related
behavioral intentions and whether these effects differ between Korean and
Chinese gamers. As game experiences in...
This study investigates how different types of game-related videos
produced by gamers (user-generated content; UGC) influence game-related
behavioral intentions and whether these effects differ between Korean and
Chinese gamers. As game experiences increasingly extend beyond gameplay
to mediated consumption—such as streaming, fan-made animations,
walkthroughs, and critique/appreciation videos—UGC may shape not only
purchase-related intentions but also broader engagement behaviors including
community participation, sharing and recommendation, related merchandise
purchase, and offline event participation. Building on this context, the study
aims to provide an integrated, cross-national test of the effects of video type
on multiple dimensions of game-related behavior.
An online randomized experiment was conducted with Korean and Chinese
gamers. To control confounds, all stimuli were based on the same game IP
(Hollow Knight) and were adjusted to comparable lengths. Participants were
randomly assigned to watch either an official game advertisement or one of
four gamer-produced UGC types (game streaming, fan animation,
walkthrough/strategy, and appreciation/critique), and then completed a survey.
Dependent variables captured multiple behavioral intentions: purchase-related
intentions (e.g., purchase intention/likelihood), community participation
intention, sharing/recommendation-related intentions, game-related
merchandise purchase intention, and offline event participation and willingness
to pay. Data were analyzed in SPSS using general linear modeling to examine
main effects of video type and nationality as well as their interaction.
Results indicate that game streaming did not significantly increase
purchase-related intentions compared to the official advertisement, but it did
show a significant effect on community participation intention, suggesting that
streaming primarily supports community-oriented engagement rather than
direct purchase persuasion. Fan animation tended to elevate a wider range of behavioral intentions, with stronger and clearer effects among Chinese gamers,
particularly on fandom-expansion behaviors such as community engagement,
merchandise-related intentions, and offline participation. Walkthrough/strategy
videos did not consistently outperform official advertising in stimulating
purchase-related intentions; however, moderation patterns suggested that, for
Chinese gamers, such informational UGC can strengthen community-centered
social interaction intentions. Appreciation/critique videos similarly did not
surpass official advertising in purchase-related outcomes, yet nationality-bytype interactions emerged for offline participation and willingness to pay,
implying that this UGC type may motivate offline fandom activities for specific
audiences (notably Chinese gamers). Overall, the findings suggest that gamerproduced videos are relatively more effective at driving extended engagement
behaviors (community, derivative consumption, and offline participation) than
immediate purchase persuasion, and that these effects are more pronounced
among Chinese gamers. The study offers practical implications for game
marketing and platform strategies that differentiate the functional roles of video
types and account for cross-national audience contexts.