Factors influencing the behavioral intention to adopt a technological innovation from a developing country context: The case of mobile augmented reality games

Augmented reality (AR) has become a promising technology in the gaming industry. However, few research studies have examined users' perspectives towards mobile AR games. To address this issue, the present study proposed a research model to better understand the factors determining and shaping users' behavioral intention to adopt mobile AR games from a developing country environment. Based on a literature review, nine factors have been expected to determine and shape individuals' intention towards the acceptance and adoption of mobile AR games. Using WarpPLS software, the model was empirically tested with a survey of 240 non-adopter respondents collected via an online survey questionnaire. The model was found statistically robust in terms of measurement quality criteria: reliability, validity, multicollinearity, and goodness of fit. The analysis revealed that perceived ease-of-use, social norms, privacy, perceived enjoyment, perceived competition, perceived inspiration, perceived image, and perceived innovativeness affect users' behavioral intention to adopt mobile AR games. However, the hypothesized moderating impact of perceived physical risk on the relationships connecting perceived ease-of-use, perceived enjoyment, perceived competition, and perceived inspiration with the intention to adopt was found to have little statistical significance. The result showed that perceived innovativeness was the strongest criterion to affect intention, and perceived ease-of-use was found to be the least important criterion in impacting users' intention. Interestingly, the model explains 76% of the variance in behavioral intention to adopt mobile AR games. This study offers theoretical and practical implications for its findings.