De-Marketing Factors Influencing Saudi Multiplayer Online Gamers: A Pink Marketing Perspective

Abstract

This study explores the factors driving young gamers away from multiplayer online games (MOGs) through a pink marketing lens, focusing on marketing strategies targeted at or influenced by women, and investigates how gender differences impact these dynamics. Unlike previous research primarily focused on the effects of MOGs on gamers' behavior, this research uniquely examines the reasons behind gamers' disengagement. Employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, data from 685 online gamers in Saudi Arabia were analyzed. Gender was assessed as a mediating factor for 12 variables influencing gamers' decisions to engage or withdraw from MOGs, revealing support for 8 factors favoring engagement. These findings bear significant implications for both academic research and practical applications in marketing and de-marketing MOGs. Future studies could extend beyond gender dynamics, exploring alternative factors and conducting cross-cultural comparisons to enrich our understanding further.