Impact of HEXACO Personality Factors on Consumer Video Game Engagement: A Study on eSports

This article aims to uncover novel insights into personality factors and consumer video game engagement modeling. This research empirically validates the role of specific HEXACO personality factors that foster consumer engagement (CE) in electronic sports (eSports) users. Using a survey-based approach, we incorporated the HEXACO 60 items and consumer video game engagement scales for data collection. Data were collected from eSports users, with 250 valid responses. WarpPLS 6.0 was used for partial least squares-structural equation modeling analyses comprising measurement and structural model assessment. The results showed that the reflective measurement model is reliable and sound, whereas the second-order formative measurement model also meets the criteria of indicator weights and collinearity values variance inflation factor (VIF). The results based on the structural model indicate that openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness positively predict CE in eSports. This article is first among others that conceptualizes and validates the HEXACO personality traits as a reflective formative model using the hierarchical component model approach. The research model carries the explanatory capacity for CE in eSports concerning personality dimensions as indicated by the HEXACO model. It highlights the potential benefits of such research especially to marketers who could potentially employ personality modeling to develop tailored strategies to increase CE in video games.