Key Factors in Virtual Gift Buying Behaviour in the Live Game Category Streaming: A Social Cognitive and Cultural Perspective

As live streaming based on a variety of content is growing globally, viewers are becoming accustomed to a model that allows them to interact with content creators in real time; as a result, commercialization businesses based on live streaming are proliferating. These commercialization businesses include live-streaming platforms offering virtual gifts that viewers can purchase to give to content creators, purchasing a streamer's fan badge to show continued support for the streamer, or purchasing merchandise from the streamer's merchandise window, among others. Among them, virtual gifts are the paying behaviour with the highest percentage of viewers. Based on this background, studying what influences consumers' decisions about virtual gifts is essential. This paper adopts a literature review approach to analyze several academic literatures as well as identify the key factors, social, cultural, and psychological, of virtual gift purchasing behaviours of consumers in the live gaming industry, and comb through the key findings of these current studies. In addition, this paper also proposes future research directions and relevant suggestions for specific practices based on the above factors, providing ideas and references for researchers and practitioners of virtual gift marketing. Due to the diverse perspectives of existing related research, the integration, analysis and recommendations in this paper will be of significance to future researchers and stakeholders in systematically understanding viewer behaviour, helping the function of virtual gift rewards on live broadcasting platforms in China, and enhancing the economic benefits as well as live broadcasting viewers' experience.