How to generate customer and firm benefits through online game product and brand community engagement - online and offline perspectives

Purpose This study aims to provide a conceptual framework for exploring the relationship between online game product engagement and online brand community engagement and how these two types of customer engagement affect subsequent offline benefit for customers and online and offline benefits for firms. This study also investigates the antecedents of online game product engagement from the virtual experience perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study collected data from online gamers in Taiwan. Of the 580 responses, 548 were valid. Smart PLS 3 was used to test the measurement model and the hypotheses in the research model. Findings The conceptual model is supported. First, the findings show that learning, entertainment, flow and social interaction play key roles in explaining online game product engagement. Second, online game product engagement has a positive effect on online brand community engagement. Finally, online game product engagement and online brand community engagement are crucial drivers of customers' offline benefit and firms' online and offline benefits. Originality/value Four contributions are made by this study. First, this study explores firms' online benefit (virtual item purchase intention) and offline benefits, including licensed product and co-branded product purchase intention. Second, this study explores the customer's offline benefit (offline skill development). Third, it focuses on two types of customer engagement, including online game product engagement and online brand community engagement, and explores the relationship between them. Finally, the concept of virtual experience is used to explore the antecedents of online game product engagement.

Automated summary

This study provides a conceptual framework for examining the relationship between online game product engagement and online brand community engagement, and how they affect offline benefits for customers and online and offline benefits for companies. The findings highlight the role of learning, entertainment, flow, and social interaction in explaining online game product engagement. Additionally, online game product engagement positively influences online brand community engagement, which in turn drives offline benefit for customers and online and offline benefits for firms. The study contributes by exploring both online and offline benefits for companies and customers, investigating two types of customer engagement, and using the concept of virtual experience to explore the antecedents of online game product engagement.