Enhancing Game Stickiness through Interactive Features: An Exploration of Advertising Games

Advertising games have become popular and profitable due to the proliferation of smart terminals and 4G/5G networks. Understanding the factors that motivate players to continue playing games is crucial for marketers to generate revenue and create engaging experiences for customers. This research focuses on exploring the interactive features of advertising games to increase game stickiness. The Theory of Interactive Media Effect (TIME) suggests that interactive affordances can stimulate players to fulfill their psychological needs, leading to self-determined engagement and influencing attitudes and behaviors. Using Chinese advertising game players as an example, the study examines the relationship between video game interactivity, psychological needs, play engrossment, enjoyment, and long-term play intention. Statistical analysis reveals significant correlations, with controller responsiveness, perceptual persuasiveness, and exploration positively predicting game stickiness. Engrossment and enjoyment mediate the impact of these features on stickiness. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness mediate the effects of perceptual persuasiveness and exploration on enjoyment and engrossment. A structural equation model validates the relationships, with perceptual persuasiveness playing a significant role in determining stickiness. The study provides insights for future research on the antecedents of continued play in advertising games.