Viewers\u27 Consumption Intentions in the Live Game Streaming Context

Live-streaming in the game industry have grown fast and is becoming popular as a form of online entertainment. However, a key issue has yet received less attention: why people around the globe spend their time on watching other playing games? Why viewers would be willing to subscribe or donate money to a streamer? To fill the research gap, this study examines how emotional attachment and group identification influence viewers’ continuous watching, donation, and subscription intentions based on the theoretical lens of common identity and common bond. Specifically, the crucial roles of para-social interaction with the streamer and co-viewers as antecedents of identity- and bond-based attachment are also investigated. An empirical research with a sample of viewers with live game streaming spectating experience will be conducted. This study has important implications for both researchers and practitioners, especially for streamers in the live game streaming context

Interpersonal Relations and Social Actions on Live Streaming Services. A Systematic Review on Cyber-social Relations

This article provides a systematic review on interpersonal relations and social actions on live streaming services as, for instance, Twitch, Chaturbate, YouNow, or Taobao Live. Are those relations social, parasocial, or is there another specific kind of relation? Based on 77 articles, we give a short bibliometric overview and discuss interactions on live streaming services, social actions of streamers, social actions of viewers, shopping relations on live streaming services, and the streamers’ and viewers’ intentions to continuous actions leading (also supported by elements of gamification) the audience to a kind of stickiness towards individual streams, streamers, and services. Due to highly interactive communication between audience and broadcasters and among the viewers, social actions on live streaming services take a middle position between social and parasocial relations and―concerning shopping―also a middle position between physical event-shopping and ordering on an e-commerce platform. They form a new human-human relation, which we name “cyber-social relation.

Augmented Reality in Sports Event Videos: A Qualitative Study on Viewer Experience

Augmented reality (AR) has been widely used in sports broadcasting. However, little is known about viewer experience with AR in sports event videos. To identify key AR features as well as its advantages and drawbacks in sports event videos, this research conducted a qualitative study through a semi-structured interview with 30 participants. Content analysis on the interview transcript identified four salient features of AR in the sports event video context, i.e., informativeness, novelty, vividness, and telepresence. It also revealed three key advantages of AR to sports audiences, including game comprehension, enjoyment, and fan socialization, as well as two drawbacks, including distraction and inauthenticity. The qualitative study provides a theory-building process and results in a conceptual model, which, based on the net valence approach, postulates the relationships between AR features and viewers’ behavioral intentions through the mediation of perceived advantages and drawbacks

Online users' behaviours and behavioural intentions with reference to live streaming : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 26 March 2023.

Embargoed until 26 March 2023Live streaming, as a new medium, allows users to participate in real-time interaction. It has attracted a large number of online users, and become a new social commerce venue and lucrative business, especially in China where the live streaming industry is growing explosively and is the largest in the world. This thesis aims to comprehensively investigate users’ behaviours and behavioural intentions in live streaming through both qualitative and quantitative approaches using the Chinese live streaming as an example. This thesis contains four studies to investigate from both streamers’ and viewers’ aspects. Firstly, we conducted two qualitative studies to investigate users’ online behaviours in the social commerce practice in live streaming by exploring how streamers attract viewers (Chapter 2) and encourage gifting (Chapter 3). Novel multiple triangulation was used, including data source triangulation and methodological triangulation. Through multiple triangulation, three behaviours for viewer attraction and four behaviours for gifting encouragement were identified. These two chapters help to comprehensively understand streamers’ online behaviours in this new form of social commerce. Next, we conducted two quantitative studies to explore why viewers continue to watch streams (Chapters 4 and 5). Based on expectation-confirmation theory (ECT), in Chapter 4, we modified the post-acceptance model of information system continuance and re-defined the constructs in a structural equation model of predictors of continuance intention of watching live streams. Chapter 4 successfully connects intention and continuance intention of watching, and integrates disparate understandings of viewers’ watching behaviours. To solve the deficiencies identified in current ECT-based models and further increase the explanation of variance in continuance intention of watching, in Chapter 5, we proposed a value-based continuance intention model (V-ECM), which theoretically extends ECT-based studies by including a process of overall practical assessment between users’ perceived benefits and perceived sacrifices. V-ECM appears to be a better model for explaining users’ continuance intention in the stream-watching context. Also, V-ECM could be used broadly in online and/or technology-related fields. Overall, this thesis comprehensively investigates both streamers’ and viewers’ behaviours and behavioural intentions in live streaming. Insights from this thesis can improve the design, functions and marketing within live streaming platforms. Also, this thesis provides strong foundations for further online behaviour studies, for example, stream-watching addiction

The influence of online celebrity live streaming e-commerce on consumers’ purchase intention

Live streaming e-commerce has exploded in China as a result of the videoization of social networks，becoming an increasingly important marketing tool, where the streamers are frequently Internet celebrities. Previous research has looked at the aspects that influence customers' purchase intentions in live streaming e-commerce. In this study, variables are summarized by combining live streaming features and the celebrity effect of Internet celebrities, and hypotheses are suggested using the SOR model. The goal is to investigate what factors influence consumers' purchase intentions when they watch Internet celebrities in live streaming e-commerce. This study distributed surveys, collected 305 valid questionnaires, and then utilized the tools SPSS.26 and SmartPLS 4.0 to estimate the model. The results demonstrate that the Internet celebrity's interactions, promotion discount, and attractiveness have a significant impact on customers’ purchase intention, with Social Presence and Emotions acting as mediator in the internet celebrity live streaming e-commerce. Finally, towards the end of the work, the theoretical contribution, practical implications, limitations, and future research suggestions are summarized. This study examines the influencing elements of live streaming e-commerce on customers' buy intentions from the standpoint of online celebrity mixed with live streaming, however it does not examine the moderating influence of different commodity categories.Com a visualização de videos colocados nas redes sociais por celebridades, o e-commerce de streaming ao vivo explodiu na China, tornando-se um canal de marketing cada vez mais importante., e os streamers são frequentemente celebridades da internet. Pesquisas anteriores analisaram os aspectos que influenciam as intenções de compra dos clientes no comércio eletrônico de transmissão ao vivo. O objetivo desta disseratção é investigar que factores influenciam a intenção de compra dos consumidores quando assistem aos videos das celebridades na internet. Neste estudo, as variáveis são resumidas combinando recursos de transmissão ao vivo e o efeito celebridade de celebridades da Internet, e hipóteses são sugeridas usando o modelo SOR. Foram considerados 305 questionários válidos, e então usa as ferramentas SPSS.26 e SmartPLS 4.0 para estimar o modelo. Os resultados demonstram que as interações da celebridade da internet, o desconto promocional e a atratividade têm um impacto significativo na intenção de compra dos clientes, com Presença Social e Emoções atuando como mediador no e-commerce de celebridades da internet ao vivo. Por fim, ao final do trabalho, são sumarizadas a contribuição teórica, implicações práticas, limitações e sugestões de pesquisas futuras

Differences and Similarities in Motivation for Offline and Online eSports Event Consumption

ESports is a rising phenomenon that attracts followers worldwide. Recently, big eSports events are hosted regularly as a counterpart to the “traditional” online streams. However, the differences between offline and online consumption have not been scientifically addressed. Based on the Motivation Scale for Sports Consumption (MSSC), on-site visitors and stream followers (N = 637) of a big eSports event were surveyed. By analyzing the motives for eSports consumption of these two groups, insights about users following one specific broadcast form were derived and success factors (e.g. intention to visit) were assessed. While on-site attendees are motivated by social aspects, online participants seek knowledge gain and are interested in details of the gameplay. Escape and drama motivation are equally important for both groups. The findings give new insights in the field of eSports and help practitioners develop live experiences of eSports online as well as offline

KEY FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS IN TAOBAO LIVE STREAMING COMMERCE IN CHINA

Abstract Live e-commerce is an emerging shopping model in recent years. With the continuous development of live broadcast commerce around the world, live broadcast commerce has become an indispensable part of online shopping for many consumers. Social interaction is a common activity in live broadcast commerce. When there is social interaction between the anchor and consumers or between consumers and consumers, it may have an impact on consumers' purchasing decisions. This study explores how social interactions and consumer reviews of live-streaming commerce influence consumers' purchasing decisions. Based on the current development status of live broadcasting, this article sorts out and summarizes the literature that affects consumers' purchase decisions in live broadcast e-commerce from the two key factors of social interaction and consumer comments. To this end, this study draws on social influence theory and use-gratification theory and uses quantitative research methods to investigate Chinese Taobao live broadcast business users. The findings show that social interaction and consumer reviews have a positive impact on consumer purchasing decisions, and secondly, the study reveals the importance of gender as a moderating factor. Overall, this research reveals the key factors influencing Taobao live commerce purchase decision and provides useful insights to measure live commerce development strategies to provide effective advice on Taobao live commerce. Finally, the paper provides possible enlightenment for the improvement of live e-commerce

An investigation on the consumer demand and behavior in video game live streaming

Abstract. Over the past decade, consumption of video games and popularity of eSports has risen gradually over time, which has led to the emergence of many new video game live stream services and their explosive use. The rise of new media, in which user interaction and socialization play a crucial role in influencing user behavior and demand has driven many organizations to begin actively advertising their offerings through video game live streaming platforms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to make an investigation and gain understanding of what factors affect the overall demand and behavior of the users in video game live streaming services. First, this research approaches the topic by exploring the field of eSports from the perspective of experience economy theory to further understand from where the experience value of eSports consumers is formed. Secondly, the user demand and interaction were investigated thoroughly since they play a significant role in understanding the consumption of video game live streaming. Following this, the theoretical framework was developed by a comprehensive examination of past relevant academic articles, with the goal of presenting an accurate summary of the issues fundamental to the study. The study provides a qualitative empirical perspective on the subject. The empirical data of the study was gathered through semi-structured interviews with the streamers and active users of video game live stream services. The data was thematically analysed in order to evaluate, recognize and identify the fundamental features and issues associated with the phenomena under consideration. A significant portion of the insights from the theoretical framework used and conceived in this thesis were supported by the analysis of empirical data, which highlighted the importance of interaction and socializing elements in watching and consuming video game live streaming. Based on the theoretical and empirical data, a new framework was developed which in addition to factors of user demand, user interaction and platform impact now included external factors and communities which further affect the consumption and overall experience of the users in video game live streaming services. Furthermore, considerable evidence of both theoretical and managerial implications for organizations planning to market their offering in these services was emphasized

The Uses and Gratifications of Streaming Live Linear Sports Networks Online

The streaming of live sports television channels online is changing how sports fans access live sports T.V. content. This new technology is becoming a greater challenge to traditional cable/satellite television services as Americans continue to cancel their cable services for new online streaming options. DirecTV Now, SlingTV, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, among others, are offering sports fans access to the most popular live national and regional sports T.V. networks online via live streaming, allowing them to bypass traditional cable. These new services provide subscribers’ access to their favorite channels anywhere and on any mobile, internet connected device. The purpose of this study was to explore the gratifications that are obtained by sports fans from using online live streaming for sports content. With online live streaming from over-the-top (OTT) services becoming a growing alternative to cable, this study wanted to examine the gratifications obtained from using these services and if the gratifications obtained are similar or different from gratifications obtained from previous television and internet research. The uses and gratifications theory was the theoretical framework for this study. A survey was commenced online using the Amazon M Turk platform (N = 300) to obtain data for this study. The results showed there is a significant relationship between viewer’s intentions and their use of online live streaming for sports content. Other variables examined including the convenience of use, viewing costs, perceived enjoyment, social benefits, and viewing quality may all affect their use of online streaming once the participant has decided to use these services. Other findings showed that the television/Smart T.V. is still the main source for viewing televised sport content. In addition, the results showed the most popular televised sports are also the most popular online with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football, all ranking as the most streamed sports. This study included a wide range of participants’ demographics, showing there is an interest in streaming sports among a variety of demographics

The Role of Media Synchronicity Fit and Sense of Community in Live Streaming Platforms

To understand viewers’ sense of community in the live streaming environment, this research synthesizes media synchronicity theory and sense of community theory to develop a theoretical framework. We aim to examine the antecedents and consequences of the sense of community in live streaming platforms. We expect that viewers’ actual communication purpose (e.g., conveyance or convergence) will influence viewers\u27 sense of community in the live streaming context and further impact their activities in traditional third-party online communities. We first use experiments to validate the mechanism in our theoretical model and then collect observational data from Twitch, a popular live streaming platform, to test our hypotheses. Our results will provide theoretical contributions to the live streaming, online community, and communication literature. Our findings will provide practical implications for streamers in the live streaming platform