Title: THE INTEGRATION OF CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL ELEMENTS IN CULTURALIZED GAMES TOWARDS CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT AND PURCHASING BEHAVIOR AMONG VIETNAMESE YOUTH
Authors:
Quan Nguyen Van and Minh Do Luong
Abstract:
This study investigates how cultural, historical, and educational elements embedded in culturalized games influence consumer purchasing behavior through the mediating role of consumer engagement among Vietnamese youth. Drawing upon Social Identity Theory, Consumer Ethnocentrism Theory and Collectivism Theory, the research proposes that historical authenticity, historical representation quality, cultural symbols, cultural practices, perceived learning value, and interactive learning engagement enhance consumer engagement, which subsequently drives consumer purchasing behavior. Data were collected from 311 Vietnamese young gamers through an online survey using established measurement scales. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 3. The results indicate that the proposed antecedents explain a substantial proportion of variance in consumer engagement (Adjusted R² = 0.610). Consumer engagement has a significant positive effect on purchasing behavior, explaining 17% of its variance. All indirect effects are statistically significant, confirming the mediating role of consumer engagement in transforming culturally embedded game attributes into behavioral outcomes. The findings demonstrate that culturalized games function not only as entertainment products but also as symbolic carriers of identity and collective memory. By aligning with collectivist values and cultural affiliation needs, culturally authentic and educational game elements strengthen engagement and stimulate purchasing behavior in a globalized digital environment.
Keywords: Consumer engagement; cultural identity; culturalized games; purchasing behavior; Vietnamese youth.
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