ENTER2017 eTourism Conference

1. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 1
To Catch Them All – The (Un)intended
Consequences of Pokémon GO on Mobility,
Consumption, and Wellbeing
Florian J. Zach
Washington State University, USA
florian.zach@wsu.edu
Iis P. Tussyadiah
University of Surrey, UK
i.tussyadiah@surrey.ac.uk

2. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 2
Introduction

3. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 3
Pokémon and Travel

4. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 4
Behavioural Consequences
• Mobile GPS-based apps improve spatial
experiences
– Wayfinding (Hahn, 2012; Tussyadiah & Zach, 2012)
– Travel (Tussyadiah, 2012)
• Mobile gaming
– Hedonic benefit of enjoyment (Nysveen, Pedersen, &
Thorbjørnsen, 2005)
– Intervention tool for healthcare (rehab) and education
(Klasnja & Pratt, 2012; Sintoris et al. 2010)
– Location based task completion ( Klopfer & Squire, 2008)

5. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 5
Behavioural Consequences
Enjoyment
Attitude
change
Motivation
Behaviour

6. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 6
Behavioural Consequences
Enjoyment
Attitude
change
Motivation
Behaviour
Influencing tourists’
path through destination
- REXplorer (Ballagas,
Kuntze, & Walz, 2008)
Game feedback
(Baranowski et
al, 2008)
Efficacy
(Baranowski
et al, 2008)

7. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 7
Behavioural Consequences
Enjoyment
Attitude
change
Motivation
Behaviour
Influencing tourists’
path through destination
- REXplorer (Ballagas,
Kuntze, & Walz, 2008)
Game feedback
(Baranowski et
al, 2008)
Efficacy
(Baranowski
et al, 2008)
Goal directed
(Ryan et al.
2006)
Successful
Behaviour

8. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 8
Behavioural Consequences
Game story and storytelling
• (Fantasy) storylines in mobile games
(Baranowski et al. 2008)
• Storytelling creates extraordinary
experiences (Mossberg, 2008)
– Creating memorable tourism experiences

9. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 9
Proposition
Mobile games requiring physical movements
between geolocations affect player behavior
and business patronage.

10. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 10
Method
• Online questionnaire 4 weeks after game release,
August 1st, 2016
• Measures
– Enjoyment – PACES (Kendzierski & DeCarlo, 1991)
– Spending while playing
– Motivation & game behavior
• Data
– 405 responses (US only)
– 50% female
– 53% ages 25-34
– 50% college degree
– 65% household income
less than US$ 60,000

11. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 11
Findings
Motivation – Game achievements
• Moving one level up
• Catching Pokémon
• Finding rare Pokémon
• Fighting Gym battles
• Taking over Gym

12. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 12
Findings
Motivation – Game achievements
• Moving one level up
• Catching Pokémon
• Finding rare Pokémon
• Fighting Gym battles
• Taking over Gym
Collecting Pokémon
Mean = 2.32
Winning battles
Mean = 3.34

13. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 13
Findings
Playing – frequency
• 38% daily
• 27% 2-3 times/week
• 19% 4-6 times/week
Playing – intensity
• 20% at least two hours/day
• 30% less than 30 minutes/day
• Perceived intensity Mean = 3.28

14. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 14
Findings
Playing – physical movement for game purpose
• 47% walking beyond neighborhood
• 47% drive beyond neighborhood
• 10% daytrip to other cities
• 4% travel with overnight stay
• Future plans
– 44% daytrip
– 46% overnight stay

15. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 15
Findings
Enjoyment
• PACES consistently positive
– Mean = 3.34 : Rather do something else –
Nothing else I’d rather do
– Mean = 4.33 : I dislike it – I like it
• PACES Mean = 4.00
• 61% of variance
• Cronbach’s alpha = .959

16. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 16
Findings
Money spent
• 18% in-app purchases
• Unplanned consumption near PokéStops
– 11% retail
– 13% services
– 17% travelling
– 29% food & beverage

17. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 17
Findings
Behavioural consequences
• Community/social, Cronbach’s alpha = .828
– Interact more with strangers
• Travel/visitation, Cronbach’s alpha = .905
– Visit places in my area that I never visited before
• Physical activity, Cronbach’s alpha = .905
– I walk much more
• Variance explained = 77%

18. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 18
Findings
Impacts on wellbeing
• Daily functions, Cronbach’s alpha = .951
– Perform better at work
• Psychosocial functions, Cronbach’s alpha = .886
– Improves my social interactions
• Variance explained = 81%

19. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 19
Findings
Determinants of behavioural consequences
Community/
Social
Travel/
Visitation
Physical
Activity
R2 .281 .169 .282
F 31.070 (.000) 16.202 (.000) 31.315 (.000)
Independent Variables
• Motive: Catching
Pokémon
.062 (.246) .057 (.317) .180 (.001)
• Motive: Winning Battle .213 (.000) .150 (.005) .045 (.359)
• Enjoyment .346 (.000) .234 (.000) .367 (.000)
• Play Daily (Dummy) -.019 (.697) .007 (.888) .021 (.661)
• Play 1 Hour or More
(Dummy)
.063 (.179) .102 (.042) .032 (.486)

20. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 20
Findings
Determinants of impacts on wellbeing
Impact 1:
Daily
Functions
Impact 2:
Psychosocial
Functions
R2 .367 .159
F 46.069 (.000) 16.207 (.000)
Independent Variables
• Motive: Catching Pokémon -.033 (.514) -.045 (.437)
• Motive: Winning Battle .286 (.000) .172 (.001)
• Enjoyment .437 (.000) .336 (.000)
• Play Daily (Dummy) -.023 (.604) -.032 (.528)
• Play 1 Hour or More
(Dummy)
.057 (.190) .034 (.496)

21. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 21
Findings
Determinants of spending money
• Independent variables:
– Motivation, enjoyment, frequency and intensity
• Retail outlets
– Significant effects of winning battle and enjoyment
• Food & beverage at restaurants
– Significant effects of winning battle and enjoyment
• Travelling
– Significant effects of enjoyment and playing 1 hour or more
– Playing 1 hour or less: less likely to spend on travel

22. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 22
Conclusion and Recommendation
Shaping travel motivations
• Majority of respondents move beyond their neighborhood
• Planned daytrips
Three behavioral consequences
• Feeling of community
• Travel and visitation
• Physical activity
Two wellbeing effects
• Daily functions
• Physiological functions

23. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 23
Conclusion and Recommendation
Enjoyment Motivation to win battles
Behavioural consequences
• Feeling of community Yes Yes
• Increased travel & visitation to other areas Yes Yes
• Increased physical activity Yes No
Wellbeing
• Daily functions (wellbeing) Yes Yes
• Physiological functions (wellbeing) Yes Yes
Spending
• Retail shops Yes Yes
• F&B restaurants Yes Yes
• Travel Yes Yes

24. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 24
Conclusion and Recommendation
Mobile game
requiring movement
between geo
locations
Consumer behavior
(visit beyond area)
Spending

25. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 25
Conclusion and Recommendation
Theory
• Enjoyment – behavioural consequences relationship
• Mobile gaming as an intervention tool
Managerial
• Designing game feedback to induce targeted
behaviour
• Create destination specific game
– Visitor flow
– Memorable experiences

26. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 26
Conclusion and Recommendation

27. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 27
Limitations
Shortly after game release
• High motivation to play
• Unaware of full game potential and features

28. ENTER 2017 Research Track Slide Number 28
Thank You
Per chicachierare in piú, scrivate
a florian.zach@wsu.edu