User Network Size as a Dominant Predictor: Singular and Interactive Effects of Information Types on Mobile Game Consumption Within the Platform Context

Abstract

Mobile game platforms provide a variety of information to assist users in deciding which games to play. However, while previous studies have examined individual informational factors such as ratings and their effect on users' intentions, the joint and interactive effects of different information types, including game genre labels, ratings, and user network size on actual mobile game consumptions remain underexplored. This research investigates how these three types of information influence mobile game consumption, including their interactive effects on user choices. Grounded in the theories of Search-Experience-Credence Attributes, Platform Affordance and Network Externality, the research analyzes data from 1222 games on TapTap, a major Chinese mobile game platform. Structural topic modelling is employed to examine genre-consumption relationships and hierarchical ordinary least squares regression is conducted to explore the joint impact of multiple information types on game downloads. Findings show that while game downloads vary across genre themes, ratings alone do not predict downloads; their influence emerges when combined with other factors, particularly user network size. User network size not only directly affects game consumption but also moderates the effect of ratings on consumption. This research emphasizes the dominant influence of network size compared to genre and ratings and offers valuable insights for developers and platform operators in understanding user preferences and improving strategic collaborations.