How does gamification improve user experience? An empirical investigation on the antecedences and consequences of user experience and its mediating role

Given the growing commercial importance of the “user experience”, better application of gamification. Thus, this study aims at exploring the antecedents and consequences of user experience and its mediating role in an online gamification context. Specifically, this study uses structural equation modeling to test the causal relationships among perceived mobility, utilitarian and hedonic features, user experience, perceived benefits (self-benefit and social benefit), types of perceived value (information value, experiential value, social value, and transaction value), and brand equity (perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand associations, and brand trust) in an online gamification context. Results show that perceived mobility has a significant impact on utilitarian and hedonic features, while perceived mobility and utilitarian and hedonic features influence user experience, which in turn, affects perceived benefits, types of perceived value, and brand equity. Additionally, the mediating effect of user experience is also confirmed in this study. In summary, the findings of this study can help website managers improve their users' perception of benefits, value, and brand equity more effectively and act as a guide to research and development (R&D) of gamification to obtain competitive advantage in the online context.