Scholars maintain media use is purposeful and the key to understanding media effects lies in understanding the reasons people use media. Previous uses and gratifications research regarding video game use assumes player motivations are constant variables, as researchers did not measure player motivations over the stages of long-term game use. The present study investigated differences between multiplayer video game user motivations across three stages of game play - beginning, persisting, and ceasing to play. Data from survey instruments distributed via online message boards showed statistically significant changes in motivations from both the beginning and persisting stages of play as compared to the ceasing stage. The present study confirmed motivations for video game use change over time, and thus takes an innovative step which can be replicated to better understand our relationship with other media
