Gamers' Motivations and Problematic Gaming: An Exploratory Study of Gamers in World of Warcraft

This study explores the factors that contribute to problematic gaming among players of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMOs for short), in particular, the game World of Warcraft. It examines motivations based on the Self Determination Theory (SDT) and motivations based on Yee’s player orientations. A total of 128 gamers participated in the online survey. Results showed that achievement and immersion player orientations are correlated with extrinsic motivation in terms of external, introjected and identified regulations, as well as intrinsic motivation. Social orientation is only correlated with identified regulation and intrinsic motivation. Problematic gaming is also correlated with all types of extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation, as well as with achievement and immersion player orientations but not with social player orientation. Achievement orientation and introjected regulation both positively predicted problematic gaming, while identified regulation negatively predicted it.

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