The Role of Environmental Affordances in Game Spaces: Mechanisms of Urban Image Dissemination through Interactive and Immersive Gameplay

Abstract

With the rapid development of the global digital entertainment industry, video games have become an important vehicle for brand communication and cultural dissemination. This study explores how environmental affordances and brand elements in game spaces influence players' brand identity and cultural identity, and further promote the shaping of city brand image. This study adopts a quantitative research method, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test hypotheses based on data from 300 valid questionnaires collected from Chinese university student players. The results show that environmental affordances and brand elements in games significantly enhance brand identity, while cultural identity plays a mediating role in the transition from brand identity to city brand image. This study expands the theoretical framework of game-based brand communication and cultural dissemination, providing new strategic recommendations for brand marketers and policymakers. It suggests that games are not only tools for brand promotion but also effective media for national brand shaping, driving the international dissemination of cultural soft power.

Keywords: Environmental Affordances, Game Spaces, Urban Image Dissemination

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006365