How Players Make Use of Cosmetic Items in Video Games: A Persona Approach.

Ranging from purchasing single digital items through bundles to packages that contain several digital objects under one umbrella, microtransactions represent an increasingly popular and yet controversial business model within many video games. A particularly interesting segment of digital content captures those purely cosmetic and esthetically oriented goods that do not provide users with concrete mechanical or technical benefits but are nonetheless valued and pursued by members of the gaming community. Building on in‐depth interviews with a group of 20 active video game players residing in France, the present study explores variations in gaming styles and preferences, motivations to engage in cosmetic microtransactions, and perceived benefits associated with the consumption of cosmetic items in video games. We identified various key video game player motivations to engage in cosmetic microtransactions, including personal and achievement goals, social and belonging needs, prestige seeking and status signaling, and the pursuit of novelty. In contrast to the idea that cosmetic items do not hold value above and beyond their hedonic or esthetic appeal, our findings also indicate that even cosmetic items can offer perceived competitive advantages and benefits (e.g., becoming thinner, gaining latency time, or becoming less visible via acquiring certain digital clothes or armors in the game). Through these emergent themes and categories, we construct six video game player personas representing various needs, perceptions, and expectations concerning the valuation of cosmetic microtransactions. Last, we discuss how these findings can inform theory development and guide decision‐making around game design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]