為了擴展使用線上遊戲的人口，許多遊戲公司紛紛推出免費線上遊戲，希望可以吸引更多使用者接觸線上遊戲。遊戲廠商之獲利模式也從收取月費的方式轉為販賣遊戲中虛擬道具或寶物之方式賺取利潤。根據台灣網路資訊中心的調查顯示，截至2012年3月止，在線上遊戲使用者中，便有69%之使用者是接觸免費線上遊戲。因此本研究探討這些使用者既然選擇使用免費線上遊戲，為何還有意願花錢購買虛擬道具與寶物。本研究之架構納入使用者動機與消費價值對使用者購買虛擬道具的意圖之影響。
本研究回收之有效樣本數共276份，並以SPSS和Amos作為統計分析工具，來檢驗本研究之模型與研究假說。研究結果發現：(1) 在免費線上遊戲的情境中，相較於使用者動機，虛擬道具的社會性與情感性價值對購買意圖之影響較顯著；(2) 不同的使用者動機對虛擬道具之消費價值的選擇具有顯著正向影響。

To attract more players, many game companies have published the free-to-play online games. Their profit model has changed over from collecting monthly/hourly fees to selling virtual items in the game world. The report of TWNIC (March 2012) illustrated that about 69% players of online games chose to play free-to-play online games and some of them might buy the virtual items in the game world. Accordingly, this study attempted to explore why players are willing to buy virtual items while choosing to play free-to-play online games.
This study developed and tested a research model which focused on understanding how user’s motivations and consumption values affect free-to-play online games players’ intentions to purchase virtual items. Results showed that: (1) Compared to the user’s motivations, the social value and emotional value are statistically significant and positive affecting users’ intention to purchase virtual items in the free-to-play online games; and (2) Different users’ motivations are statistically significant and positive affecting users’ choice of consumption values.

1.Animesh, A., Pinsonneault, A., Yang, S. B., and Oh, W., “An odyssey into virtual worlds: exploring the impacts of technological and spatial environments on intention to purchase virtual products,” MIS Quarterly, Vol. 35 - 3, pp. 789 - 810, September 2011.
2.Bostan, B., “Player motivations: A psychological perspective,” Computers in Entertainment, Vol. 7 - 2, June 2009.
3.Chang, B. H., Lee, S. E., and Kim, B. S., “Exploring factors affecting the adoption and continuance of online games among college students in South Korea: Integrating uses and gratification and diffusion of innovation approaches,” New Media & Society, Vol. 8 - 2, pp. 295 - 319, 2006.
4.Chang, C. C., “Examining users’ intention to continue using social network games: A flow experience perspective,” Telematics and Informatics, November 2012.
5.Childress, M., D., and Braswell, R., “Using massively multiplayer online role‐playing games for online learning,” Distance Education, Vol. 27 - 2, pp. 187 - 196, August 2006.
6.Davis, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P., and Warshaw, P. R., “Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to use computers in the workplace,” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 22 - 14, pp. 1111 - 1132, July 1992.
7.Deci, E.L., Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L.G., and Ryan, R.M., “Motivation and education: The self-determination perspective,” Educational Psychologist, Vol. 26, 1991.
8.Drennan, P., and Keeffe, D.A., “Virtual consumption: Using player types to explore virtual consumer behavior,” Proceedings of ICEC, pp. 466 - 469, 2007.
9.Fornell, C. and Larcker, D. F., “Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement errors.” Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 18 - 3, pp. 382 - 388, August 1981.
10.Guo, Y. and Barnes, S., “Why people buy virtual items in virtual worlds with real money,” Advances in Information Systems, Vol. 38 - 4, November 2007.
11.Guo, Y. and Barnes, S., “Virtual item purchase behavior in virtual worlds: An exploratory investigation,” Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 9, pp. 77 - 96, 2009.
12.Guo, Y. and Barnes, S., “Purchase behavior in virtual worlds: An empirical investigation in Second Life,” Information & Management, Vol. 48 - 7, pp. 303 - 312, 2011.
13.Guo, Y. and Barnes, S., “Explaining purchasing behavior within World of Warcraft,” Journal of Computer Information Systems, Vol. 52 - 3, pp. 18 - 30, 2012.
14.Hair, J. F., Black, B., Babin, B., Anderson, R. E., and Tatham, R. L., “Multivariate data analysis (6th Ed),” Prentice Hall, November 2005.
15.Hsiao, C. C., and Chiou, J. S. , “The impact of online community position on online game continuance intention: Do game knowledge and community size matter?” Information & Management, Vol. 49 - 6, pp. 292 - 300, October 2012.
16.Hsu, C.L. and Lu, H. P., “Why do people play on-line games? An extended TAM with social influences and flow experience,” Information and Management, Vol. 41 -7, pp. 853 - 868, September 2004.
17.Huang, E., “Online experiences and virtual goods purchase intention,” Internet Research, Vol. 22 - 3, pp. 252 - 274, 2012.
18.Kim, H. W., Gupta, S., and Koh, J., “Investigating the intention to purchase digital items in social networking communities: A customer value perspective,” Information & Management, Vol. 48 - 6, pp. 228 - 234, 2011.
19.Koo, D.M., Lee, S. H., and Chang, H. S., “Experiential motives for mlaying online games,” Journal of Convergence Information Technology, Vol. 2 - 2, June 2007.
20.Koo, D. M., “The moderating role of locus of control on the links between experiential motives and intention to play online games,” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 25 - 2, pp. 466 - 474, March 2009.
21.Lee, M. C., “Understanding the behavioural intention to play online games: An extension of the theory of planned behaviour,” Online Information Review, Vol. 33 - 5, pp. 849 - 872, 2009.
22.Lehdonvirta, V., “Virtual item sales as a revenue model: identifying attributes that drive purchase decisions,” Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 9 - 1, pp. 97 - 113, 2009.
23.Live Gamer, “Virtual item monetization: A powerful revenue opportunity for online game publishers and virtual world operators,” October 2008. Available http://www.livegamer.com/strategy/white-papers/Live_Gamer_Opportunity_Whitepaper_NA.PDF
24.Mäntymäki, M., “Customer loyalty in social virtual worlds,” 22nd BLED eConference, Slovenia, June 2009.
25.Mantymaki, M., and Merikivi, J., “Explaining purchasing behavior within World of Warcraft,”, System Sciences (HICSS), 43rd Hawaii International Conference, Honolulu, January 2010.
26.Mäntymäkia, M., and Salo, J., “Teenagers in social virtual worlds: Continuous use and purchasing behavior in Habbo Hotel,” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 27 - 6, pp. 2088 - 2097, November 2011.
27.Oh, G. and Ryu,T., “Game design on item-selling based payment model in Korean online games,” Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA), 2007
28.Park, B. W. and Lee, K. C., “Exploring the value of purchasing online game items,” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 27 - 6, pp. 2178 - 2185, November, 2011.
29.Shang, R. A., Chen, Y. C., amd Huang, S. C., “A private versus a public space: Anonymity and buying decorative symbolic goods for avatars in a virtual world,” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 28 - 6, pp. 2227 - 2235, November 2012.
30.Shelton, A. K., “Defining the lines between virtual and real world purchases: Second Life sells, but who’s buying?” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 26 - 6, pp. 1223 - 1227, November 2010.
31.Sheth, J. N., Newman, B., and Gross,B., “Consumption values and market choices,” South-Western Publishing, 1991.
32.Sweetser, P. and Wyeth, P., “GameFlow: A model for evaluating player enjoyment in games,” Computers in Entertainment, Vol. 3 - 3, 2005.
33.Tychsen, A., Hitchens, M., and Brolund, T., “Motivations for play in computer role-playing games,” Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 57 - 64, 2008.
34.Wortzel, L., “Multivariate analysis. Upper saddle river,” Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1979.
35.Wu, J., and Liu, D., “The effects of trust and enjoyment on intention to play online games,” Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 8 - 2, pp. 18 - 30, 2007.
36.Wu, J., Li, P., and Rao, S., “Why they enjoy virtual game worlds? An empirical investigation,” Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 9 - 3, 2008.
37.Wu, J. H., Wang, S. C., and Tsai, H. H., “Falling in love with online games: The uses and gratifications perspective,” Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 26 - 6, pp. 1862 - 1871, November 2010.
38.Yee, N., “Motivations for play in online games,” Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Vol. 9 - 6, 2006.
39.中文資料
40.謝安，「免費線上遊戲經營與獲利模式之個案分析」，國立中央大學，碩士論文，民國95年。
41.網路資料
42.台灣網路資訊中心：2012 年台灣寬頻網路使用調查。2012年。取自http://www.twnic.net.tw/download/200307/200307index.shtml。
43.蔡郁薇：2012年我國家庭寬頻現況與需求調查─個人篇。取自http://www.find.org.tw/find/home.aspx
44.周樹林：數位遊戲產業發展趨勢。取自http://mic.iii.org.tw/institute/institute_column/column_detail.asp?sqno=67