The impact of hyper casual games on young users’ academic results – an investigation at banking academy

DECLARATION As the author of this thesis entitled “The impact of hyper-casual games on young users’ academic results – an investigation at Banking Academy” submitted for thedegree of Ban

BANKING ACADEMY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Hanoi, May 2024

DECLARATION

As the author of this thesis entitled “The impact of hyper-casual games on young users’ academic results – an investigation at Banking Academy” submitted for thedegree of Banking Academy of Vietnam, I hereby declare that this research is my entirely original work under the supervision of Ms Nguyen Thi Minh Hang All sources utilized in this dissertation have been acknowledged and credited

By signing this statement, I declare my commitment to honesty and integrity of academic work and recognize the necessity of sustaining these principles

Hanoi, May 5th 2024 Signature

Nguyen Nam Tuan

First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis advisor,

Ms Nguyen Thi Minh Hang, for her invaluable guidance, support and encouragement throughout the entire process of researching and writing this thesis Her expertise and insights have been instrumental in shaping the direction of my work and pushing me

to strive for good results

I am also indebted to my friends and family for their unwavering support, patience and understanding during this demanding endeavor Their encouragement and belief

in me have been a constant source of motivation for me to keep going on this journey

Special thanks are due to the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Banking Academy of Vietnam and Mirai Studio, for providing the necessary resources and facilities that facilitated my research

I also want to thank all of the participants of this study for their willingness to share their experiences and insights, without which this research would not have been done Once again, thank you all for your contributions, encouragement and support

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS v

LIST OF TABLES vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

ABSTRACT 1

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 2

1.1 Background of the study 2

1.2 Significance of the study 3

1.3 Objectives of the study 4

1.4 Research questions 4

1.5 Scope and limitations of the thesis 4

1.6 Structure of the thesis 5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Overview of hyper-casual games 6

2.2 Definition of key terms 7

2.2.1 User behavior 7

2.2.2 Hyper-casual games 8

2.3 Theoretical and conceptual framework 8

2.3.1 Attitude 9

2.3.2 Subjective norm 10

2.3.3 Perceived behavioral control 11

2.4 Previous studies 11

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 15

3.1 Locale of the study 15

3.2 Population 15

3.3 Research methods 16

3.4 Research instrument 16

3.5 Procedure of gathering data 17

3.6 Data processing method 18

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 19

4.1 Results 19

4.1.1 Demographic results 19

4.1.2 Reliability of the measurement 22

4.1.3 Descriptive statistic 23

4.1.4 Correlation 25

4.1.5 Regression 26

4.2 Discussion 28

4.2.1 Perceived behavioral control 29

4.2.2 Attitude 31

4.2.3 Subjective norm 32

4.2.4 Income and Gender 33

4.2.5 The positive impacts of hyper-casual games on academic results 35

4.2.6 The negative impacts of hyper-casual games on academic results 36

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 37

5.1 Conclusion 37

5.2 Recommendations 38

5.2.1 For game players 38

5.2.2 For game developers 39

5.3 Limitations and Recommendations for future research 39

REFERENCES 41

APPENDICES 44

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

SPSS Statiscal Package for the Social Sciences

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1.1.1 Table describing the characteristics of the respondents 19

Table 4.1.1.2 Table describing the experiences of the respondents 21

Table 4.1.2.1 Cronbach’s Alpha of Attitude 23

Table 4.1.2.2 Cronbach’s Alpha of Subjective Norm 23

Table 4.1.2.3 Cronbach’s Alpha of Perceived Behavioral Control 23

Table 4.1.2.4 Cronbach’s Alpha of Intention 23

Table 4.1.3.1 Cronbach’s Alpha of Intention 24

Table 4.1.4.1 Correlation between variables 25

Table 4.1.5.1 Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) 27

Table 4.1.5.2 Regression coefficients 27

Table 4.1.5.3 Statistical analysis of the impact of Gender, Age, Income on Intention (ANOVA) 28

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Theory of planned behavior framework 9 Figure 3.2 Sample size calculation based on Fisher’s formula 15 Figure 4.1.1 The research model 26

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the popularity of digital technologies has changed the way people interact, communicate and entertain, especially with the advent of mobile games Among all game genres, hyper-casual mobiles have been attracting special attention from the young gaming community Understanding the complex dynamics of user behavior in this genre of games is crucial for both game developers and educators This thesis delves into the interactions between young users and hyper-casual mobile games, focusing on a specific demographic within Banking Academy of Vietnam

Through quantitative surveys, this study investigates various aspects of young user behavior, including gaming motivations, interaction patterns, impact on academic or work performance and social interactions By analyzing data collected from a sample

of students at Banking Academy of Vietnam, this study aims to provide valuable insights into the underlying factors driving the popularity of hyper-casual mobile games among the youth in a specific educational setting

The findings of the study are not only significant in providing insights to the academic understanding of user behaviors in hyper-casual gaming but also offer practical implications for game developers and educators By gaining a deeper understanding

of how young users interact with hyper-casual mobile games, game publishers can develop more strategies to leverage these insights for educational purposes, promote responsible gaming habits and enhance the overall gaming user experience for this demographic in today’s digital age

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study

Over the past few years, the widespread adoption of digital technologies has brought about significant changes in many facets of everyday life, fundamentally changing how people engage, communicate, and entertain themselves A notable outcome of this digital transformation is the widespread appeal of mobile gaming, where hyper-casual games have become prominent fixtures in the digital entertainment landscape Characterized by their straightforward gameplay, brief gaming sessions, and ease of access, hyper-casual mobile games have captured considerable interest, especially among younger users, who represent a substantial segment of the global gaming audience

Specifically, when talking about hyper-casual games, people might underestimate its market size because of the simplistic mechanics, minimalistic design, short gameplay session and rare in-app purchases However, in 2023, the hyper-casual market was valued at around $16.67 billion, as reported by Statista Looking forward, it is believed to reach about $25.96 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.67% This growth trend underscores the rising popularity and financial potential of the hyper-casual gaming sector

Mobile games have been an indispensable part in many people’s daily routines,especially the young users Understanding their behavior not only helps publishers and marketers have more insights about their lifestyles, habits but also provides a basis for developing effective time management and marketing strategies for the products

In addition, acquiring users to download and install the game is the first step and also one of the most important steps that influences the success of one game Therefore,

it is crucial to explore and understand target users for every product in terms of their habits, tastes, motivations leading users toward the game

However, the number of studies to understand drivers of users’ behaviors to the act

of downloading and playing hyper-casual mobile games is still limited While

related focus A study conducted by Phong Nguyen and Luong Nguyen (2021) assessed the micro and macro elements that influence video games manufacturing and distribution Although it is essential to understand these factors, more specific work needs to be done because video games include both console games, computer games, mobile games Another study by Nga Tran and Linh Tran (2021) did research about consumer behavior on online mobile games in Hanoi This targets a more specific target, which is consumers in Hanoi using online mobile games However,

in mobile games, there are many genres such as hard-core games, mid-core games and hyper-casual games As a result, the concept of young user behavior on hyper-casual mobile games has remained relatively under-researched

1.2 Significance of the study

The study titled “The impact of hyper-casual games on young users’ academic results – an investigation at Banking Academy” has a significant impact on both marketing, app developing strategies made by game developers and students’ academicperformance Firstly, the study provides valuable insights about user preferences and behaviors with a view to informing game designers about the characteristics that resonate with young users By understanding their preferences, habits and behaviors, developers can tailor game features, customize contents that match young users Secondly, the study assesses the impact of using the game genre on users’ academicresult Specifically, game developers will design the games having features that the majority of young users would like to play, which means they will target high demand Then, they can use the insights gained from the study to make more precise decisions in order to optimize gameplay, minimize what young users dislike and avoid, and promote trends that youngsters are following

Across the globe, there are several studies examining gamer behavior However, due

to cultural variations, foreign findings are not applicable in Vietnam Moreover, many game publishers or studios hesitate to invest resources (labor, time, finance) in thorough research on player behavior Additionally, market research organizations tend to overlook many significant aspects Therefore, more studies into the impact of hyper-casual mobile games on young users’ academic result are necessary

1.3 Objectives of the study

The first objective of this study is to understand the behaviors of young users in playing hyper-casual mobile games By understanding what attracts them to these games, game developers and educators will have more insights into their preferences and expectations

The other objective is to discover the impacts of hyper-casual games on users’academic results

1.4 Research questions

The study was conducted to address the following research questions:

1 Which factors influence young players to install and play the hyper-casual mobile games?

2 What are the positive impacts, if any, of hyper-casual games on users’

academic results?

3 What are the negative impacts, if any, of hyper-casual games on users’

academic results?

1.5 Scope and limitations of the thesis

The research goal is to explore factors that influence young users to install and play the hyper-casual mobile games and the impacts of them on young users’ academicperformance However, due to limited time and human resource, the study only focuses on surveying game users in ATC classes at Banking Academy of Vietnam Therefore, the main participants expected to be involved in the study are ATC students

This thesis acknowledges certain limitations The study will only focus on ATC students at Banking Academy of Vietnam, which may not represent the broader population of young gamers The research will depend on students’ self-reported data, which may include biases and mistakes Moreover, the research will be time-limited and may not capture changes in young users’ trends over time

1.6 Structure of the thesis

The research is divided into sections, which are as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction - provides an overview of the study

Chapter 2: Literature Review - presents the background information of the study, including definitions Results of previous studies and a proposed research model are also discussed in this chapter

Chapter 3: Research Methodology - describes the locale of the study, samples and instruments of the study, as well as the procedure to collect and analyze the data of the study

Chapter 4: Results and Discussion - presents the findings and discussion, which contains statistical analysis and a discussion of the results obtained

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation - summarizes the research findings and provides recommendations based on the outcomes of the framework

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of hyper-casual games

The launch of Apple’s App Store in 2008 had shifted the gaming industry to a newdirection- a new era of mobile gaming industry It provided developers from all over the world with a new platform to publish and distribute their products to billions of users As a result, the mobile game industry was developing with an astonishing speed, including a surge in simple games, also known as casual games or hyper-casual games

Dating back the hyper-casual genre to 2013, it was the time when Flappy Bird was born Flappy Bird, developed by Nguyen Ha Dong, a Vietnamese developer, became

a cultural phenomenon and a typical example of a hyper-casual game It was the first game with hyper-casual features: short stages, a basic user interface, and accessible gameplay In less than a year, Flappy Bird by Nguyen Ha Dong had about 50 million downloads Flappy Bird had brought the new idea that simplicity could also be successful According to ironSource (2020), from 2013-2016, most hyper-casual games scaled with cross-promotion campaigns and organic installs Then in 2017, developers managed to grow hyper-casual games just like other genres- using paid user acquisition As a sustainable business model for growing hyper-casual games emerged, more publishers began focusing on this genre Therefore, the market became more competitive In 2018, hyper-casual games were the most downloaded

The outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 led to an increased desire for uncomplicated and engaging forms of entertainment In 2020, 31% of all installs belonged to hyper-casual games In 2021, the number of downloads increased from 12.6 billion to 15.6 billion, with hyper-casual sub-genres being the three most popular genres

In 2022, hyper-casual games were still popular and brought vast annual profits, about

$2–2.5 billion Moreover, some sub-genres within hyper-casual games emerged, such

as ASMR hyper-casual games and Tiktok-based concepts As these genres appeared, the diversity of the content also grew The early hyper-casual games were on an endless loop, focused mostly on simplistic gameplay that repeated themselves The

development of subgenres and new hyper-casual notions resulted in more complicated level structures, more sources of perfect content, and new ways to develop those ideas

Overall, publishers are still witnessing promising changes in the hyper-casual genre However, a decline in installs is starting to show As downloads for other genres declined, demand from these genres declined too, leading to a current decline in overall hyper-casual growth This requires more actions and solutions from publishers to come up with new ideas about contents in game, about new ways to acquire users and about more valuable insights about the majority of users - the youth 2.2 Definition of key terms

Understanding user behavior is crucial for businesses, marketers, designers, and researchers because it helps them tailor their products, services, and marketing strategies to better meet the needs and preferences of their target audience By analyzing user behavior, organizations can identify trends, anticipate user needs, improve user experience, and ultimately drive better business outcomes

Consumer behavior of products and services can be applicable to all individuals, within a group or organization With the characteristics of digital entertainment content, video games are easily accessible, affecting customers from a certain target group It can be easily seen that user behavior of video games can greatly be influenced by exogenous factors (culture, society, community, etc.) and endogenous factors (perception, age, educational level…) If incorrect marketing approaches are

applied, this can result in serious consequences for both the game studios and the overall gaming industry

2.2.2 Hyper-casual games

According to Andrea Knezovic (Udonis, 2024), hyper casual games are mobile games that focus on simple, intuitive gameplay, typically involving basic tapping or swiping actions These games feature straightforward 2D graphics and user interfaces, allowing for instant play without complex instructions or tutorials This genre is characterized by its endless gameplay Players enjoy a continuous experience without definitive endpoints, often aiming to achieve high scores or use the game as a leisurely pastime

Such simplicity in design and function resonates with a wide audience of players, making hyper casual games a popular choice for players looking for quick, engaging gaming sessions

Moreover, it is clear that some sub-genres within the hyper-casual market are exhibiting different trends For example, idler games have shown consistent growth

in both downloads and in-game purchases Conversely, genres like simulators, io games, satisfaction games, and racing are seeing a decline This changing landscape

of the hyper-casual game market, with its shifting trends and the potential of new, creative titles, keeps the genre both challenging and engaging for developers and players

2.3 Theoretical and conceptual framework

Theory of Planned Behavior

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a social psychological theory that explains human conduct by looking at the beliefs about the activity, attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms and social expectations guiding behavior, and perceptions

of personal control over the behavior in issue It was first developed in 1985 by Icek Ajzen as a supplement to the previous Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) of 1975 proposed by Martin Fishbein According to Ajzen (1985), someone’s purpose causesconduct, which causes intentions and is related to attitudes, subjective norms and

perceived behavior control The idea focuses on cognitive factors that influence the creation of intentions and, ultimately, the determination of behavior

Figure 2.1 Theory of planned behavior framework 2.3.1 Attitude

An important factor related to the evaluation of how a person views and appraises a given behavior is Attitude factor, which is said to be one of the determinants constituting the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) This factor is based on the views

of a person on the outcome of performing the behavior and their emotional response

to such repercussions According to TPB, a positive attitude is likely to boost behavior, whilst a negative one will diminish it (Corner & Armitage, 1998) Personal experiences, cultural beliefs and societal influences all have a significant impact on attitudes (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) The strength of the attitude element combines both cognitive and emotive characteristics of an attitude Cognitive attitudes are based

on anindividual’s perception of things, whereas affective attitudes are based on anemotional response For example, in exercising, one would have a positive cognitive attitude towards it because he believes it is beneficial to his health; nevertheless, his affective attitude may be negative due to the discomfort connected with engaging in the behavior Generally, the attitude factor is too important since it explains why

people engage in certain behaviors If academics and practitioners explore the basic ideas and emotional reactions that identify attitudes, they may be able to devise effective techniques for generating positive behavioral change

Regarding the following operations, we hypothesize that:

H1: Attitude has a positive impact on the intention to install and play hyper-casual games

2.3.2 Subjective norm

The subjective norm in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) refers to how one perceives the expectations, norms and social influences that surround the specific behavior This includes an apparent belief and the expectation of important individuals in the person’s social circle, with the intention to comply with the statedviews and expectations On the other hand, it is thought that subjective norms indirectly affect behavior by affecting the purpose of the individual engaging in a certain behavior A person is more likely to form a more positive intention toward an activity if he observes those around him supporting or expecting him to engage in it However, if the individual believes that important people in his social surroundings

do not support or expect him to engage in the behavior, he is more likely to form an intention toward that behavior Subjective norms are measured using self-reported assessments, such as Likert scales and open-ended questions Some researchers, on the other hand, might go so far as to question the subjects about the specific people who are important to the conduct in question before measuring their expectations and opinions about it The subjective norm had a major impact on TPB since it made clear how crucial it is for others to recognize the social influence on an individual’sconduct The expectations and beliefs of other principles in society influence these aspects of human nature Therefore, we put forward the assumption that:

H2: Subjective norm has a positive impact on the intention to use hyper-casual games

2.3.3 Perceived behavioral control

"Perceived behavioral control" is a concept of the Theory of Planned Behavior, proposing the judgment of an individual that there is an ability or no ability for action High perceived behavioral control in an individual results in carrying out the behavior and gaining whatever he or she thought he or she would want to gain through the behavior On the other side, low perceived behavioral control diminishes motivation and significantly reduces the likelihood that an intention to carry out the prescribed behavior would be expressed, convictions regarding the existence of elements, such

as opportunity, resources and abilities, that support or hinder that conduct Many academics believe that the most important component of the Theory of Planned Behavior is the perceived behavioral control since it gives an explanation of why a person with positive attitudes and subjective norm perspectives towards engaging in

a behavior may not act on them Sometimes, however, if a person feels like they are not in control of the behavior, then they may simply not even try to be involved in it According to the Theory of Planned Behavior, people are more likely to create an intention to carry out and carry out obvious conduct when they feel that they have a strong perceived behavioral control over it As a result, behavior prediction heavily relies on perceived behavioral control Consequently, this study will examine the following hypotheses:

H3: Perceived behavioral control will have a positive effect on the intention to use hyper-casual games

2.4 Previous studies

In order to have a better understanding of consumer psychology and purchasing behavior in free-to-play games, Mathias Grønstad (2021) investigated in-app purchasing behavior using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a theoretical foundation.The study investigated whether games can be used as vehicles to fulfill some of these needs and whether players were willing to pay to get further fulfillment of these needs The research was conducted during the time of Covid-19 in June 2021 in Norway This was the time when the game industry made a substantially huge growth compared to the previous years The study utilized a mixed method: a combination

of quantitative method and qualitative method The survey consisted of 28 questions where six were regarding CVs, nine for measuring indicators, nine for Ivs and a final question was added to gather qualitative answers about reasons to spend money in the game Study participants were mostly from online communitities for Pokemon

Go players in May 2021 This has the advantages of being a cheap and time-effective way of getting a high quantity of respondents from a specific and relevant demographic The author had concluded that certain game features may cater to the player’s need for belongingness, esteem and self-actualization Additionally, in Pokemon Go, the three most important game-specific factors for increasing spending were raiding with friends, unlocking new content, and leveling up

Phong et al (2021) carried out a study attempting to explore the factors affecting customer satisfaction for video games, analyze these factors to understand how they affect consumer behavior and propose some suggestions to improve the user experience for video games The research was done in Q2 2021 in Hanoi, Vietnam The authors utitlized the quantitative research method In terms of data collecting process, consent letters were emailed to the concerned heads of the org and were asked for permissions The survey was distributed into 5 organizations The 4 main groups of factors that influenced customer purchases were psychological, individual, social and cultural factors The author then concluded that with cultural factors, producers manage efficient and effective content of games to achieve success at least for revenue For social and individual factors, they need to build community in order

to show their professionalism and responsibility to their players Last but not least, in terms of the psychological factors, it is important if producers and publishers create

an appropriate, effective and long-term marketing strategy The research assessed the micro and macro factors affecting the production and distribution of video games, then gave an overview on the current production and distribution of video games

In another study conducted by Nga et al (2021), they identified a practical assessment

of the behavior of choosing and using mobile games online during the time of 2021

At the time of 2021, Hanoi was growing with an amazing speed, having good results

in 2019: ranked 2nd in terms of GDP rank, 8th in terms of GDP per capita, and 41st

number of people aged 15-59 years is 66.6% Hanoi was an open market for many industries, especially the gaming industry The authors had used a mixed method: quantitative and qualitative research in 2 phases In the preliminary research phase, the author used qualitative method to form a scale and prelimiary survey questions After a pilot investigation of about 15 subjects, the researcher continued to adjust the scale measure in order to suit the actual conditions and requirements of the user and complete the questionnaire Additionally, during the official research phase, they conducted online questionnaires for users of mobile game products After that, they collected and saved them as a basis for the quantitative research As a result, they found out the reasons why players search for mobile games by themselves: Mainly, when feeling stressed or having free time, players will generate the need to play mobile online games In addition, gaming is also a way to keep in touch with friends

or find new friends The source of searching for game information mainly comes from friends, accounting for 23.6% of the rest searching for games on facebook, accounting for 17.6% and 16.4% of gamers prefer to find games themselves through application markets.To choose a game to play, players often evaluate aspects of graphics, game content, advertising, simple gameplay and must mention the gaming trend The authors also mentioned that Vietnam was one of the potential markets for mobile online games, there was not really a true online mobile game industry This industry was still in its infancy

Imam Salehudin et al (2020) investigated the freemium app model in order to propose a taxonomy that examines and categorizes the various types of Freemium business models Additionally, they conceptualized the Freemium business model by offering a new definition and developing a comprehensive taxonomy of Freemium business models by classifying how users spend money on a free product The study was conducted in 2020 during Covid-19 The research method was a logical partitioning approach, including asking a series of yes/no questions to classify objects In conclusion, the paper highlighted the unique characteristics of different freemium business models and argued against the use of "one-size-fits-all" approaches in the study of freemium The authors also recognized that the deeper the taxonomy went to make it fit with the important games market, the harder it would

be to apply it to a broader context This taxonomy also recognized that the Freemium business model was at a growth stage, and its application was still developing rapidly

It was clear from the research that all of the above studies provided information on freemium apps, specifically hyper-casual mobile games Almost all of the researchers used a quantitative approach Through the overview analysis of theoretical research

on the factors affecting young users to download and play hyper-casual mobile games, it shows that there is still a research gap Most studies only focused on the overall freemium app or mobile game Therefore, they were possibly unable to provide in-depth understanding on the young user behavior on hyper-casual mobile games in Hanoi As a result, this study will contribute directly to filling the research gap The research problem in the topic is completely independent and does not overlap with any published research

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Locale of the study

The quantitative study was carried out at the Banking Academy of Vietnam During the research period of 17 April 2024 to 30 April 2024, the researcher opted to use an online survey as a means of data collection Freshman, sophomore, junior and senior students are invited to participate in the survey and share their personal perspectives All data collected during the research period is used for research and analyzing only 3.2 Population

In the study, the population included all students studying English major at Banking Academy from K23 to K26 The quantity is estimated around 600 students at the time

of the research

In terms of sample size, the sample is clearly less than the total size of the population

In order to simplify and improve the study of the issue, 120 students were selected randomly as a representation of the whole faculty, including freshman to senior students In this investigation, the proper sample size was calculated using Andrew Fisher’s sample calculation formula The equation has the following components: theconfidence interval (9%), the confidence level (95%) and the standard deviation (0.5) The degree of confidence is transformed into a Z-Score (95% ~ 1.96) These values were entered into Fisher’s formula to calculate the required sample size

Figure 3.2 Sample size calculation based on Fisher’s formula

The sample size of 120 in the study is acceptable as it satisfies the minimum

criteria

3.3 Research methods

The quantitative method is applied in this study, which involves the collection of numerical data that was analyzed using mathematical techniques to interpret the results Babbie E (2010) stated that using the quantitative approach was to gather numerical data and generalize it across groups of people A survey is defined as the administration of questionnaires to a sample of respondents selected from a population Moreover, according to Stacks (2002), a survey is a strategy for social affairs moderately top to bottom data about respondent attributes and convictions According to Neuman (2007) a survey is a sample of many respondents, which provides responses to the same questions with a view to assessing numerous variables and testing multiple hypotheses

According to Sekaran (2003), the use of surveys is useful for doing research, as it paves the way for the researcher to assess respondents’ viewpoints and attitudestowards the social phenomenon being examined within a shorter amount of time In addition to that, many social science studies take advantage of surveys as a standard study methodology (Neuman, 2007) According to Sekaran (2003), using this design would help in quickly and easily gathering all replies from the respondents, which is really cost-effective As a result, due to limited resources in terms of time and human resource, the quantitative approach is the only focus of the research method

3.4 Research instrument

The study utilized the survey questionnaire approach to collect data Nunan (1992) stated that a questionnaire is an instrument for collecting data, typically in written form, consisting of open and closed queries and other probes requiring a subject response Moreover, Peng (1992) concluded that the survey method is a commonly used approach in the social sciences, intending to generate generalized findings for

an entire population based on data obtained from a sample of that population Data was primarily collected through direct survey questionnaires sent via social network accounts such as Facebook, Zalo, and Instagram Participants only needed

to click on the URL and followed specific instructions to answer the survey questions The research purpose had been clearly stated at the beginning of the questionnaire, and contact information had been provided for participants who have inquiries The survey questionnaire consisted of six main parts The first part included a greeting, the research purpose, a privacy statement, and a thank you message The second part collected basic personal information from the participants such as gender, age, income, etc Parts three, four, and five consisted of questions about the participants' attitudes, values, and perceptions about hyper-casual games Lastly, part six consisted

of questions asking participants about their future intentions of using the product The questions were designed in section-by-section format with carefully selected language to avoid confusion The answer options were designed using a 5-point Likert scale, with level 1 being "completely disagree" and level 5 being "completely agree." A pilot survey was conducted, with a small-scale sample size of around 30 people, to develop the most comprehensive questionnaire for the official survey with

a larger sample size of 120 participants

3.5 Procedure of gathering data

The process was divided into 2 phases: test phase and official phase

In the test phase, the survey was piloted by collecting data from 30 students To provide objective feedback on the questionnaire to the researcher, they were instructed to complete it accurately The researcher then received multiple comments Particularly, it was suggested that some questions should be shortened, while a few questions were irrelevant to the research topic

In the official phase, the survey was sent fully to the target participants after the test survey was fixed and improved Specifically, the researcher sent an online questionnaire on a Google form via social media platforms such as Facebook, Zalo and Instagram

After about a week, 120 responses were gathered once the respondents completed and submitted them The replies were gathered using Google Forms and displayed using graphs and charts The researcher then exported data to Excel for further processing

3.6 Data processing method

SPSS (Statiscal Package for the Social Sciences) was used to enter and thoroughly analyze the quantitative data from the survey The data analyzing process includes two main following steps

Step 1: Collecting data

The researcher set up a questionnaire to collect young users’ viewpoints on the use

of hyper-casual mobile games (students at Banking Academy of Vietnam) The questionnaire consists of 30 questions about young user behaviors on hyper-casual mobile games including users’ gaming habit, attitude, subjective norm and intention

to use the product in the future

Step 2: Data analysis process

1 Convert data into a spreadsheet in Excel

2 Delivery of the data in an Excel sheet

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Results

There was a high response rate to the distribution of questionnaires to Banking Academy students who had received the URL The researcher then examined the gathered data in order to gain a deeper understanding of the issue of some students not having the intention to use hyper-casual mobile games in the future

According to the first table, there were 79 males participating in the survey, which accounted for 66% of the respondents Meanwhile, the number of female participants

in the survey was only half of the number of male participants, which accounted for 34% of the respondents From the report, there were no participants with other sex that responded to the questionnaire

Apart from sex, the respondents were also divided into 4 groups based on their age The majority of the participants were seniors (22 years old) with 77 people, accounting for 64.2% of the total participants There were 35 people aged 21 (juniors), which accounted for 29.2% of the total The minority included people aged

19 and 20, respectively comprising 4.2% and 2.5%

In addition, another characteristic that was added into the questionnaire to distinguish the survey respondents was monthly income It was shown that exactly half of the respondents taking part in the survey had monthly income ranging from 2 to 4 million VND Those having monthly income below 2 million VND accounted for 29.2%, with 35 test-takers Moreover, the number of people having monthly income ranging from 4 to 6 million VND was 20, comprising 16.7% The minority was 5 people earning above 6 million VND per month that accounted for 4.2% of the total respondents

1 How often do you play mobile games?

Table 4.1.1.2 Table describing the experiences of the respondents

According to the second table, with the question of frequency of playing mobile games, there were 43 people who played mobile games once or twice a week The amount accounted for 35.8%, which was a significant proportion of the respondents There were also 37 participants who answered that they played mobile games three

or four times a week, which comprised 30.8% of the total respondents With the frequency once/twice a month, there were 26 people, accounting for 21.7% of the respondents Then there were 11.7% of the survey participants, with the number of

14 people, who answered that they played mobile games everyday Lastly, there were

no people answering that they had never played mobile games

With the question asking if they ever played hyper-casual games or not, almost all of the participants answered that they had played, with 119 people accounting for 99.2% Then when being asked about the fact that they ever played some famous hyper-casual games such as 2048, Flappy Bird, Candy Crush Saga, Temple Run, etc.,