Abstract (EN)

To encourage viral spread, companies attempt to create captivating and compelling online games. The present research examines the effects of requiring players to use skills when playing a game and rewarding players who recommend the game to others. Accordingly, the authors use two methods: an experiment and a field study. In the initial study, they find that calling upon players’ skills during the game experience positively affects the intention to invite friends to join the game. When marketers add a system of incentives, players are no longer motivated to invite friends to join the game. From an existing viral promotional game database, the authors replicate the study and confirm the results.