• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.95-103
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• 2022

This study aims to understand a gamer participatory mechanism by comparing Gamer Participation 1.0(Bartz Liberation War) and Gamer Participation 2.0(Truck Demonstration). The process of gamers' political participation is analyzed by applying the communication-mediated O-S-O-R model with the case of gamers' truck protests caused by probability items' issue. This study found out that changes in the social, technological, and discursive layers that constitute the gamer's communication ecology led to diversification of communication channels and changes in the perception of games. Gamers utilized the technological layer of the media environment that presupposes immediate mutual communication, expressed opinions on issues in the mobilization process, and shared the necessity of participation to derive collective mobilization. Through communication, gamers were able to participate in socio-political issues with high participation thresholds. This study is significant in that it discussed the gamers' democratic citizenship and role as issue publics. The study suggests that the need for theoretical and methodological expansion to analyze various participatory cases.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.187-197
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• 2022

This study examined the effects of game genre, news media with differing political ideologies, and game-related information sources on gamer issue participation by performing a hierarchical regression model, using an online survey on Korean gamers (N=1,362). As a result of the study, playing specific genres of games played a positive role in gamer issue participation. The group behavior or collective action for or against game regulation reported in the liberal/moderate media acted as a mobilization cue for readers and potentially encouraged gamers to take social action. But the conservative media, which used governmental organizations and interest groups as sources of information, had a negative impact on real-life participatory behavior. The biased journalism practice of the mass media on game-related social issues influenced gamers' social and political behavior through corrective action. This study is significant in empirically analyzing the relationship between political ideology, game genre, media use, and gamers' social participation. The current research suggests the improvement of game regulation policy and the need for theoretical and conceptual expansion of game research.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.63-72
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• 2018

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of online game properties, social interaction, and player satisfaction on intention to online games in Chinese gamers. Research design, data, and methodology - This study is an empirical analysis assuming that properties of online games, social interaction and satisfaction will induce Chinese gamers' intention to play online games. We set the relationship between the six variables as follows. First, the properties of online games, exogenous variables, were identified by three factors: entertainment, security, participation and challenge. Second, we had input social interaction among gamers as another exogenous variables. Third, the gamer's satisfaction of online games was added to the research model as a mediating variable between exogenous variables and endogenous variables. Finally, gamer's intention to play influenced by satisfaction and social interaction was used as final endogenous variable. The data used for the empirical analysis were collected through questionnaires for Chinese under age 35 who enjoy the online games. The data used in the research were finally extracted from 195 questionnaires. The collected data were tested through the analysis of the measurement model (Step 1) and the analysis of the structural model (Step 2). The covariance structure equation model (SEM) was used for the analysis. The measurement model and structural model were evaluated by the maximum likelihood method. Results - The results of the empirical analysis are as follows. The satisfaction of online games were entertainment and security had a significant effect to satisfaction; but participation and challenge and social interaction had no significant effect on satisfaction. The social interaction among gamers and the satisfaction with online games have a significant influence on the intention to play online games. As a result, the attributes of the game were affecting the intention to play the game after satisfaction. Social interaction influenced the intention to play online games rather than satisfaction itself. Conclusions - This study provide some practical implications for the new companies who want to enter the online game industry and seek to competitiveness in China, and provide theoretical implications on the role of interaction among gamers in the study of online games.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.61-74
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• 2020

Northeast Asia accounts for half of the world game market, worth $ 152.1 billion, and has abundant growth potential. Early e-sports in Korea could be formed through the distribution of affects of active participation of gamers and fans. Since then, the establishment of a corporate team has continued, securing stability as an industry. However, mediation rights, intellectual property disputes, and game manipulations continue, leading to a massive escaped of early fandom and the collapse of StarCraft-based ecosystems.