Crypto gambling must be fun to be successful - money doesn't matter
Contrary to what you might think, monetary rewards in games are bad for player retention. Developers need to consider player psychology and game design.
Opinion
When I worked for Riot Games as a Player Acquisition Manager in the European Union, I learned about onboarding and long-term player retention. Both are critical to successful player acquisition. I've seen user retention mechanisms in games, and what I've learned is that most cryptocurrency games today lack the mechanisms to keep players interested even for a short time. .
Why haven't more top-tier games introduced real rewards into their games? These are the titles where 99.9% of players are not professional esports athletes and receive no monetary rewards for the thousands of hours spent playing their favorite games. The opportunity to introduce monetary rewards has always been on the table. Why didn't anyone do it?
The answer lies in one of the fundamental behavioral patterns that accompany motivation: overjustification. This well-documented mechanism reduces people's interest in an activity.
It is the presence of extrinsic rewards, such as money and prizes. Money weakens intrinsic motivation, which traditional developers believe is crucial for long-term player retention.
Related: Japan is losing its spot as the gaming capital of the world due to crypto hostility
Games should avoid injecting monetary rewards into an experience designed to be inherently rewarding. The fun of beating a tough boss in a Dark Souls-style game comes from the fact that it requires considerable skill.
If you attach a $0.50 reward to this experience, you will end up destroying it. Entering a FIFA video game tournament with your friends just to win $0.15 would take away the fun. Offering zero dollars removes monetary consideration and focuses attention entirely on the gaming experience.
Every game has a set of mechanics...
Contrary to what you might think, monetary rewards in games are bad for player retention. Developers need to consider player psychology and game design.
Opinion
When I worked for Riot Games as a Player Acquisition Manager in the European Union, I learned about onboarding and long-term player retention. Both are critical to successful player acquisition. I've seen user retention mechanisms in games, and what I've learned is that most cryptocurrency games today lack the mechanisms to keep players interested even for a short time. .
Why haven't more top-tier games introduced real rewards into their games? These are the titles where 99.9% of players are not professional esports athletes and receive no monetary rewards for the thousands of hours spent playing their favorite games. The opportunity to introduce monetary rewards has always been on the table. Why didn't anyone do it?
The answer lies in one of the fundamental behavioral patterns that accompany motivation: overjustification. This well-documented mechanism reduces people's interest in an activity.
It is the presence of extrinsic rewards, such as money and prizes. Money weakens intrinsic motivation, which traditional developers believe is crucial for long-term player retention.
Related: Japan is losing its spot as the gaming capital of the world due to crypto hostility
Games should avoid injecting monetary rewards into an experience designed to be inherently rewarding. The fun of beating a tough boss in a Dark Souls-style game comes from the fact that it requires considerable skill.
If you attach a $0.50 reward to this experience, you will end up destroying it. Entering a FIFA video game tournament with your friends just to win $0.15 would take away the fun. Offering zero dollars removes monetary consideration and focuses attention entirely on the gaming experience.
Every game has a set of mechanics...
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