User Experience and Satisfaction on Chinese Game Platforms: An Interaction Perspective*

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how experiential marketing influences user satisfaction and continued use intention on game distribution platforms. It also investigates the moderating role of platform interactivity between experiential dimensions and user satisfaction. Research Design, Data, and Methodology: Based on Schmitt’s (1999) Strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs) and the Expectation–Confirmation Model (ECM), experiential marketing is conceptualized across five dimensions: Sense, Feel, Think, Act, and Relate. Data were gathered through an online survey using a structured questionnaire, yielding 394 valid responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed using AMOS 29.0 to test the proposed hypotheses, and moderation effects were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS Macro (Model 1). Results: All five experiential dimensions significantly predicted user satisfaction, which, in turn, positively influenced continued use intention. Additionally, platform interactivity significantly moderated the relationships between satisfaction and four experiential components—Feel, Think, Act, and Relate—while no significant moderating effect was found for Sense. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of interactive platform design in enhancing user satisfaction and retention. This study contributes to experiential marketing theory by validating its application in digital gaming contexts and offers practical implications for optimizing platform interactivity to drive user engagement and strengthen retention strategies.