Playing Safe in Online Games: Determinants of Player Acceptance of Account Security Technology

Abstract

Online security is a major problem for networked games worldwide. Specifically, account hijacking is on the rise. To fight against the security issue, game vendors are offering specific security services, such as account protection technology. The purpose of this paper is to validate an augmented Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for the online gaming context. This research aims to investigate how players are influenced by perceived enjoyment and perceived security jointly with the traditional TAM instrument. It is hoped to explain online gamers’ behaviour toward newly emerging account security technology. The paper proposes a research model that describes the causal relationships between perceive usefulness, perceived enjoyment, perceived ease of use, perceived security, and the usage intentions for account protection technology in the most popular online game World of Warcraft. After the measurement assessment, the hypothesised model is statistically tested. The findings suggest that perceived enjoyment and perceived security jointly with two traditional TAM constructs have a positive influence on intention to use. While perceived ease of use positively affects perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment, perceived security does not seem to affect both of them. This study contributes to the ongoing literature by formulating and validating a proposed research model to explore determinants of player adoption of security technology in the virtual gaming environment. It also provides useful information for both academia and industry.