Clustering Esports Gameplay Consumers via Game Experiences

Area of Science:

• Consumer Behavior
• Marketing Science
• Esports Industry Analysis

Background:

• Esports consumption involves complex player and viewer behaviors.
• Understanding distinct consumer segments is crucial for effective marketing in the growing esports market.
• Previous segmentation efforts lacked a comprehensive view of gameplay, viewing, and hardware enthusiasm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and validate distinct consumer groups within the esports market based on multifaceted experiences.
• To segment esports consumers using a matrix of gameplay, viewing habits, and hardware enthusiasm.
• To analyze the similarities and differences among identified consumer groups regarding esports gameplay intention.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to establish a segmentation matrix.
• Online survey to collect data on esports gameplay, viewing, and hardware enthusiasm.
• Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate tests to validate consumer groups.

Main Results:

• Four empirically supported esports consumer groups were identified: all-around gamer, conventional player, observer, and recreational gamer.
• Hedonic motivation and price value were found to be general factors influencing all esports consumers.
• Social influence, habit, effort expectancy, and flow were identified as key drivers for tailored marketing strategies for specific consumer groups.

Conclusions:

• The proposed segmentation of esports consumers based on experience provides a robust framework for understanding their behavior.
• Findings offer practical insights for developing targeted marketing strategies, optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing campaign effectiveness in the esports industry.
• This research contributes to the academic understanding of esports consumer behavior and provides actionable recommendations for industry professionals.