T The modern video game industry faces intense competition, where numerous titles from major developers experience significant player drop-offs due to failure in sustaining user engagement. this study aims to analyze the behavioral factors influencing generation z gamers in choosing and continuously playing video games. the research is grounded in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (utaut2), enhanced by the addition of the flow variable to capture immersive gaming experiences. a quantitative method was applied, utilizing purposive sampling to collect data from 401 gen z respondents residing in jakarta who actively play video games. data were gathered via online questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling (sem) with amos software. the findings reveal that facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, effort expectancy, flow, and social influence have a positive and significant influence on behavioral intention. conversely, price value and habit show no significant impact. furthermore, behavioral intention significantly affects use behavior, indicating that user experience, accessibility, social context, and enjoyment are critical to sustained gameplay. this study provides practical insights for game developers to prioritize technical infrastructure, engaging content, and social features rather than relying solely on price strategies or habitual mechanics. the study\\\'s limitations include its focus on jakarta-based respondents and the lack of segmentation by game genre or platform, suggesting avenues for future research.