Impact of Online Promotional Game Mechanics on Word of Mouth Behaviors

Viral campaigns widely use online promotional games. Although antecedents of the extrinsic value of participation are discussed in the literature, few studies have focused on the intrinsic value of playing a promotional game. This study examines two dimensions of online game control: the amount of skill required and the ability to influence the odds of winning. A new typology of online promotional games is then proposed and tested using a sample of 146 real online promotional games. When a game mobilizes the players’ skill, word of mouth increases.