Description
Popular location-based games (LBGs) such as Pokemon GO have been downloaded hundreds of millions of times and have been shown to have a positive impact on mild exercise and social well-being of their players. Several currently popular LBGs introduce a gamified implementation of territorial conflict, where players are divided into teams that battle for the ownership of geographically distributed points of interest. We investigate how social factors and territoriality influence playing intensity in the context of Pok´emon GO. Using reasoning from social identity theory, we propose a structural model connecting territoriality, sociality and playing intensity. To test the model, we analyze data collected from a global sample of Pok´emon GO players (N=515). Our results show social self-efficacy, territorial self-efficacy and altruism to influence players’ identification with their team. Team identification in turn predicts both in-game territorial control behavior and playing intensity.
Date of creation, presentation, or exhibit
Spring 1-5-2021
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Document Type
Conference Paper
Department, Program, or Center
School of Interactive Games and Media (GCCIS)
Recommended Citation
Laato S, Kordyaka B, Islam N, Papangelis K (2021). Landlords of the Digital World: How Territoriality and Social Identity Predict Playing Intensity in Location-based Games. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'53). Doi: Not Available Yet.
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
