The Relationship of Loot Box Engagement to Gender, Severity of Disordered Gaming, Using MMORPGs, and Motives for Online Gaming

Objective: The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the relationship of loot box engagement to gender, disordered gaming, using massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and motives for online gaming among young adults. Methods: The cross-sectional online study was conducted with 752 volun-teer participants in Turkey. The participants were assessed with the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale - Short Form (IGDS9-SF) and the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ). Results: The age of participants who engage with loot boxes (n=171, 22.7%) was lower than the group who do not engage with loot boxes (n=581, 77.3%). Also, of the male using microtransaction, buying games, time spent on the gaming, gaming more than usual on weekends, being an e-sport gamer and/or following e-sport, having problems related with gaming, using MMORPGs, the severity of IGD symptoms, and all six types of motives for online gaming were higher in the group who engage with loot boxes. Age at first gaming did not differ between the groups. In the logistic regression model, loot box engagement was related to the severity of disordered gaming, using MMORPGs and severities of skill development and competition motives for online gaming. Conclusion: These findings suggest that those who engage with loot boxes may be using MMORPGs more with the motives of skill development and competition and they may have higher severity of IGD symptoms. Thus, this group of gamers who engage with loot boxes should be considered as a risk group and interventions should particularly include these individuals.

Automated summary

The study found that gamers who engage with loot boxes are younger, more likely to be male, more inclined to use MMORPGs, and show more pronounced tendencies in terms of gaming motives and severity of gaming disorder.