The role of overt and covert narcissism in virtual goods purchase motivations and intention

With more and more people engaging in virtual environments, the virtual goods market is highly profitable and expanding rapidly. Literature to date suggests that people buy in-game content with many different motivations (social, functional, perceived enjoyment, etc.), but studies have remained silent on how narcissism affects in-game buying behavior and motivations. This study aimed to delineate the role of overt (grandiose) narcissism and vulnerable (covert) narcissism on virtual goods purchase intention and motivations. An online quantitative survey collected data from online gamers (N = 401). Participants were invited via online playing and streaming platform Twitch.tv, and Discord gaming channels. Results demonstrate that overt narcissism but not covert narcissism predicts in-game purchase intention. The perceived social visibility of virtual goods was found as a mediator of the positive relationship between overt narcissism and purchase intention. By analyzing the inventory of in-game purchase motivations, four distinct motivations were explored: unobstructed play, in-game symbolic consumption, economic rationale, and social interaction. The findings suggest that both types of narcissism are positively related to motivations for unobstructed play and in-game symbolic consumption. Additionally, covert narcissism was positively related to economic rationale motivation. Findings are discussed both for practitioners and researchers.