Understanding continued use intention of digital intangible cultural heritage games through the SOR model

Digital games have emerged as a popular method for disseminating intangible cultural heritage (ICH). However, research on the motivations driving continuous intention to play digital ICH games remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing users’ continuous intention to play digital ICH games. We applied the SOR framework to investigate how two primary external stimuli-game factors and social factors-impact users’ hedonic and utilitarian perceptions. Furthermore, we analysed how these perceptions influence users’ continuous intention and assessed the moderating effects of cultural identity and value co-creation. With data collected from a survey of 338 gamers, the results revealed that both utilitarian and hedonic performance confirmations drive the use of digital ICH games. System quality and information quality exclusively influence utilitarian performance confirmation, while critical mass and social interaction positively influence both utilitarian and hedonic performance confirmations. Additionally, cultural identity positively moderates the relationships between utilitarian performance confirmation and continuous intention, as well as hedonic performance confirmation and continuous intention. The research highlighted the relative importance of specific factors, offering more profound insights into the continuous intention of digital ICH gamers.