Motivations for Social Interaction: The Case of Pokémon Go After the Fad Ended

Abstract

Objective We survey Pokémon Go players regarding motivations/patterns of gameplay and sociability over time to understand human interaction in augmented game settings. We disentangle effects of solo versus social and past versus current gameplay through replication of the Pokémon Go Motive Scale. Methods We use OLS regression to determine how motivation affects hours of gameplay, to measure changes in hours spent playing Pokémon Go, and to capture perceptions of engagement with the game over time. Results We find seven motivations: exercise, fun, escapism, nostalgia, friendship maintenance, relationship initiation, and achievement. Initiating new relationships leads to increased social playing time and increased perceptions of Pokémon Go as both interesting and challenging. Conclusion Intrinsic rewards hold the most staying power as a distinct motivation for gameplay. Implications go beyond Pokemon Go gaming to shed light on the differential impact of human motivation for social interaction in games that utilize augmented reality.