Back to the time when the grass was greener (and Buster Bunny was fluffier): A study of retro-game-evoked nostalgia and its role in gamers’ behaviour

Although the renewed interest in retro-games has drawn attention to the importance of nostalgia in enhancing their market appeal, the antecedents of nostalgia arousal and its implications for gamers’ behaviour still remain underexplored. To address this gap, we follow a discovery-oriented approach (DOA) that synthesizes literature and field-based insights to conceptualise the psychological characteristics associated with retro-game-evoked nostalgia and the role of nostalgia in affective and behavioural responses. We empirically tested our conceptualisations using a survey study. The findings of our study showed retro-game-evoked nostalgia to be affected by the need for competence, the inclination to escape reality, social stability, and the states of boredom and self-discontinuity. In addition, fun derived from playing and nostalgia were found to contribute significantly to players’ satisfaction with the gaming experience, particularly when games were perceived as authentic. Finally, our results show that satisfaction with gaming influences the purchase of retro-games and fosters opportunities for engaging users widely. These findings provide insights into consumer characteristics, shaping the retro-gaming market. Drawing on the differences between retro-gaming and other consumption contexts, we shed light on the behavioural implications of retro-game-evoked nostalgia and the situational conditions facilitating positive behavioural responses. These findings provide practical guidance on how to effectively target a market segment that is likely to continue growing.