Authentically exotic: understanding how video games foster cultural adaptation and destination image formation among foreign players

Purpose Cultural-specific video games are becoming increasingly popular in recent years. Using “Black Myth: Wukong,” a Chinese mythology-based game as the research context, this study aims to examine the role of exoticism and cultural authenticity in virtual cultural adaptation, and analyze how these elements collectively influence foreign players’ destination perceptions and travel intentions. Design/methodology/approach Online survey was conducted through Prolific, collecting data from 514 foreign players. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships between gaming experience, cultural adaptation, destination image and behavioral intentions. Thematic analysis was followed to discover the mechanism of cultural adaptation and visit intentions to China. Findings The SEM results demonstrate that game-induced cultural adaptation significantly enhances destination images, subsequently influencing players’ behavioral intentions toward the represented culture. Exoticism and authenticity serve as key mediators in this process, facilitating virtual cultural adaptation through gaming experiences. Thematic analysis shows that players actively seek game-related information, learn culture presented in the game and develop specific travel intentions toward destinations prominently featured in their gaming experience. Originality/value This study extends cross-cultural adaptation theory to virtual environments by integrating it with the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model in gaming contexts. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is among the first to examine how culturally-specific video games can function as tools for cross-cultural adaptation and tourism promotion. It offers insights for both game developers and destination marketers in leveraging digital media for destination image and tourism promotion.