An exploration of MMORPG in-game virtual-item contribution to game enjoyment from the perspectives of purchase behavior and psychological ownership

In-game virtual items, which are an integral element of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), are obtained by their players using real money, and they can be characters, gestures or “emotes” for a character, weapons, or costumes. MMORPG players can purchase such virtual items through the surprise-free direct purchase method, wherein the players would specify and know the virtual items they are buying. Alternatively, the players can make purchases through the surprise-packed loot box method, whereby they only find out the virtual items they have received after the purchase. This study examines the extent whereto players’ evaluation of in-game virtual-item purchase methods (loot box vis-à-vis direct purchase) and psychological ownership of their virtual-item collection contribute to perceived game enjoyment. A partial least squares analysis of 362 survey returns (comprising 204 samples of the loot box method and 158 samples of the direct purchase method) revealed similarities between both methods. The study found that players had similar perceptions of purchase method evaluation and psychological ownership. Furthermore, it established that purchase method evaluation and psychological ownership positively contributed to perceived enjoyment. However, there is also difference: intimate knowledge of the collection gathered via the direct purchase method is more influential on psychological ownership than that obtained through the loot box method. This study adds to the literature on psychological ownership, compares a relatively new loot box method with the direct purchase method, shows the importance of psychological ownership in game enjoyment, and confirms that the antecedent of psychological ownership is context-sensitive.