Article

 

MOTIVATIONS AND PROFILES OF VIDEO GAME USERS: A LITERATURE REVIEW (p.79-98)

by

Nikitas-Spiros KOUTSOUKIS , UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

Adonios KARGAS , UNIVERSITY OF WEST ATTICA

Panagiotis ZAFIRAKIS, UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

Aikaterini KOUZINOU, UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

Sofia SARELA, UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

Efstathios T. FAKIOLAS, UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

Keywords : Video games, Motivations, Profiles

JEL classification : L8, L82, L63

Abstract

The paper reviews the mainstream literature on what urges the engagement with videogames based on the motivations and profiles of videogame users. The review starts with an overview of theories on motivations and delves into the major categories of individual motivations. It comes to full circle by examining the demographic characteristics of players on grounds of which basic categories of their profiles are analyzed. In conclusion, each player is a unique individual that is influenced and mobilized in different ways, while the profile of each player often changes in congruence with its needs and the circumstances of the real world.