Player Loyalty in Subscription-Based Online Games: An Examination of World of Warcraft through RFM Analysis and the F-Model

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of player loyalty through the example of World of Warcraft (WoW), one of the oldest and most significant subscription-based online games. Unlike free-to-play or one-time purchase models, WoW requires continuous financial commitment from its users, making loyalty a key factor in its long-term success. The research is based on a quantitative survey of 525 respondents and employs two well-established frameworks: RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) analysis for segmenting players according to their value, and the F-Model for uncovering motivational patterns. The combined application of these two approaches offers a novel perspective on the study of online gaming, shedding light on how emotional attachment, nostalgia, and social experiences shape lasting engagement. The findings reveal that while innovation is essential to maintain competitiveness, excessive changes may jeopardize the stability valued by long-term subscribers. The study contributes to linking loyalty research, gaming studies, and digital service management, and provides practical recommendations for developers on maintaining user satisfaction, effectively segmenting players, and balancing new content with community expectations.