Strong social ties and team familiarity: Toward a new understanding of purchase behavior among MOBA players

As the universe of MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) games expands, the literature on players’ purchase behavior remains underexplored. Understanding the factors that may influence the purchase of virtual items enables publishers to increase their sales. In this context, we propose a conceptual model based on the theories of team familiarity and tie strength. We complement this foundation with the theory of susceptibility to interpersonal influence and motivational gains. Through a sample of 1,278 valid responses, our model suggests three key findings. First, team familiarity impacts susceptibility to informational influence, which, through a mediation effect, significantly affects the player’s willingness to perform and to purchase virtual items. Second, the willingness to perform positively influences virtual item purchase behavior. Finally, these links are significantly stronger in the context of strong ties. These results encourage practitioners to develop interfaces that allow players to interact more, thereby strengthening social ties.