Designing for Cognitive Relief: How Ad-Free Interfaces Drive Retention in Mobile Game Subscriptions

Mobile gaming is undergoing a structural shift from ad-driven free-to-play (F2P) models toward subscription services, raising a critical HCI question: how does removing ads, in-app purchases (IAPs), and monetization pressure reshape user experience and retention? Using a sequential mixed-methods design, we develop and test a multidimensional value framework that updates the Theory of Consumption Value (TCV) with HCI perspectives on attention, cognitive load, and ethical interface design. Qualitative findings identify clean experience–an ad-free, IAP-free, and manipulation-free environment–as a distinct value grounded in design-induced cognitive relief. Quantitative modeling (N = 543) shows that clean experience exerts the strongest influence on satisfaction and continued subscription intention, especially among family users prioritizing digital safety. Moderation analyses indicate diversity-seeking users emphasize content breadth, whereas price-sensitive users foreground economic fairness. Platform-level values–curation trust and support for independent developers–also contribute with segment-specific salience. The findings inform interruption-free design, transparent curation, and flexible pricing.