Abstract Selling in-game content has become a popular revenue model for
game publishers. While prior research has investigated latent
motivations as determinants of in-game content purchases, the prior
literature has not focused on more concrete reasons to purchase in-game
content that stem from how the games are being designed. We form an
inventory of reasons (19) to buy in-game content via triangulating from
analyses of top-grossing free-to-play games, from a review of existing
research, and from industry expert input. These reasons were
operationalized into a survey (N = 519). Firstly, we explored how these
motivations converged into categories. The results indicated that the
purchasing reasons converged into six dimensions: 1) Unobstructed play,
2) Social interaction, 3) Competition, 4) Economical rationale, 5)
Indulging the children, and 6) Unlocking content. Secondly, we
investigated the relationship between these factors and how much players
spend money on in-game content. The results revealed that the purchase
motivations of unobstructed play, social interaction, and economical
rationale were positively associated with how much money players spend
on in-game content. The results imply that the way designers implement
artificial limitations and obstacles as well as social interaction
affects how much players spend money on in-game content.