Purpose Grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) (Venkatesh et al., 2012), the purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents and consequence associated with esports gameplay by proposing the Esports Consumption (ESC) model, including six determinants of esports gameplay intention (hedonic motivation, habit, price value, perceived effort expectancy, social influence and flow) and behavioral consequence (media consumption intention of esports events) that were linked to esports gameplay. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was tested using the data (n=348) that were collected from esports consumers at two points in time. Per the technology adoption theories (i.e. TAM, UTAUT2), the authors incorporated a temporal separation when measuring the relationship between playing intention and playing behavior. For the purpose of data analysis, CFA and SEM were used to examine the hypothesized model. Findings As a result, four determinants (i.e. hedonic motivation, price value, effort expectancy and flow) were identified as the critical factors influencing esports consumers’ esports gameplay intention. Furthermore, the bootstrap method procedure verified that a sequential relationship among esports gameplay intention, esports gameplay and media consumption of esports events. Originality/value Theoretically, it has developed a research model that explains various triggers resulting from esports gameplay intention, which is causally linked to esports gameplay and media consumption behavior. Practically, the primary implication has to do with providing information regarding esports consumers’ playing behavior with esports game publishers, which organize esports events and leagues.

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PurposeRecently, Jang and Byon (2020) found that esports recreational gameplay consumption is causally linked to esports online media consumption. In the context of esports, live-streaming content (by individual creators) is a new type of media consumption, which should be distinguished from esports event broadcast. Extending Jang and Byon’s finding, the purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of esports content live streaming in the relationship between esports recreational gameplay and esports event broadcast because it allows the games to be more accessible to viewers due to two-way communication. In order to test for stability of the mediating effect of esports live content streaming, we examined the hypothesized model across the three genres (i.e. imagination [n = 224], physical enactment [n = 195], sport simulation [n = 179]).Design/methodology/approachData (N = 598) were collected via an online survey from individuals who had experienced esports recreational gameplay. A total of 15 items with five dimensions (i.e. esports recreational gameplay, esports content live streaming, esports event broadcast, streamer identification, and pro-player identification) were adapted from existing studies. The two identification constructs and gender were used as control variables.FindingsThe model fit of the measurement model was found to be acceptable via CFA. The results of SEM indicated that the intention of esports content live streaming consumption played a full mediation role in the relationship between esports recreational gameplay behavior and the intention of esports event broadcast consumption. Additionally, we found the mediating effect of esports content live streaming across the three genres.Originality/valueThis study contributes to literature related to the esports consumer behavior by conceptualizing esports content live streaming and found that esports content live streaming represents a mechanism that underlies the relationship between esports recreational gameplay intention and esports event broadcast consumption.

This study examined the effect of prior experience with esports gameplay on its antecedents and consequences. Prior experience is considered a significant factor in consumers’ intention and behavior, and in gameplay engagement it is considered the amount of gameplay time. While esports consumers are heterogeneous, only a few esports studies have been conducted. Thus, this study focused on prior esports gameplay experience to explain consumers’ behavior better and examine antecedents, esports gameplay intention, and live esports streaming content across two groups (i.e., high and low frequencies of esports gameplay). Data were collected via an online survey in Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk) from esports consumers who engaged in esports gameplay and live-streaming. One-third of the median cases were excluded to create two groups designated by weekly esports gameplay hours. The results revealed different patterns in the two groups. Specifically, esports gameplay had no effect on engagement in live esports streaming content for consumers who played esport games frequently. However, gameplay intention predicted live esports streaming content engagement successfully in the group who played infrequently. These findings contributed to (1) esports research by demonstrating consumers’ heterogeneity, and the (2) extension of technology acceptance and use research in esports engagement by identifying the role of prior gameplay experience.