Value Orientation in Players: Development and Validation of a Tradeoff-Based Scale of In-Game Priorities

Players differ not only in what they enjoy but in what they prioritize when in-game goals conflict. Existing player-typology and motivation measures are additive and cannot capture which facet a player sacrifices under conflict. We develop and validate the Value Orientation (VO) scale, a tradeoff-based measure of in-game priorities across four dimensions: Efficiency, Exploration, Story, and Challenge. Each item embeds an explicit opportunity cost. Across three studies with Chinese players (total N = 813), exploratory factor analysis yielded a 16-item, four-factor scale, and confirmatory factor analysis in an independent sample replicated this structure (CFI = 0.99) and outperformed collapsed alternatives. The dimensions showed acceptable reliability, clear discriminant validity, theory-consistent convergent relations with needs and player-type measures, incremental validity beyond basic-needs satisfaction, prediction of choices on a differently worded situational task, full scalar invariance, and good retest stability. Known-groups evidence was largely supportive.