Empathy and emotional labor: the role of virtual streamers in driving PC game players’ in-game purchases

Purpose This study comprehensively investigates the impact of virtual streamers’ emotional expressions on the willingness of PC online game players to make in-game purchases, providing valuable insights for game developers and marketing professionals. Design/methodology/approach This research constructs a theoretical model integrating emotional expression, empathy theory and emotional labor to analyze PC online game players’ purchase willingness. The model covers personalization, interactivity and authenticity of emotional expression. Data from 457 questionnaires were analyzed using SEM and regression analysis to examine the emotional factors influencing in-game purchase willingness and verify hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that the personalization, interactivity and authenticity of virtual streamers’ emotional expressions enhance empathy, which positively influences PC game players’ willingness to make in-game purchases. Empathy significantly impacts purchase intention. These factors not only boost empathy but also directly increase players’ willingness to buy. Additionally, empathy mediates the relationship between personalization, interactivity, authenticity and purchase willingness, while emotional labor moderates this effect, further strengthening the players’ willingness to purchase. Originality/value By integrating emotional expression, empathy theory and emotional labor, this study constructs an integrated model to explore the factors influencing the willingness of PC online game players to make in-game purchases. The model enriches the existing research by incorporating individual and social psychological factors.