The psychology of achievement systems in games

 

Did you ever come out losing a bet because you had to play the game for hours more just to get that next badge? You're not alone. The use of achievements in games is a way of ensuring the player is as engaged as possible, and the ‘why’ might surprise you.

Honestly, who among the humans doesn’t love the feeling of having done something? There is such a rush of dopamine whenever we finish something, no matter how small the task may be. What game designers have done with this simple psychological principle is take it to its logical extreme with achievement systems.

What makes these digital gold stars so appealing?

First of all, achievements make us have clear objectives. It’s not always easy to find a clear end goal in a frequently chaotic life. But with a goal within a game, I make a list of not only things I have to do but things I would like to do: it feels kind of cool.

Then there is a factor such as surprise. That is why many games also have certain achievements that are not easily noticeable as they appear suddenly. This is a kind of random reward that resembles the effect of a mini big win stimulating our brains to only continue playing.

Successes help to stimulate laid-back aggressive feelings. Whether it’s boasting about the number of trophies won to friends or watching my Gamertag rise through the global leader board there is plenty of satisfaction in measuring success in terms of rankings.

But it is not just about winning over the competition. When players exchange tips on how to unlock some difficult achievements or use social media to congratulate each other on achieving a difficult unlock, it fosters social relatedness. It’s almost as though you are a member of an elite group and the price to get in is the hard work and a little bit of luck.

But there’s also the satisfaction of true completionism. When you have so many gamers the green bar seems to remain static at 99% which is an unscratchable itch. This works well with our inability as human beings to accept anything that has been left unresolved or incomplete.

It’s not just the structure of the achievements that have got a lot more sophisticated; game designers have got very creative with it as well. They partly implement a concept called ‘tuning’, where at the start, individuals reap easy successes to capture the enthusiasts. And as with all levels, the accomplishments grow more difficult – needing more ability or perhaps a longer period to accomplish. This sort of gradual progression in the game’s complexity maintains the players in a “flow” state – that is the zone between being overwhelmed and getting bored.

Games turning into Skinner’s Boxes is a real concern but, where applied successfully, achievements will prove beneficial to the gaming scenario. Such prompts can help them to learn all the features of a game, to use the strategies they have never tried before or just to challenge themselves. Sometimes, pursuing achievements can prolong the existence of a game even after the primary plot narrative element has been exhausted.

The next time you hear the satisfaction sound of a task being completed, do not fail to marvel at the psychological twist and ask yourself whether you are having fun or simply seeking another badge.

Games are intended for fun. If achievement hunting improves that, good for the gamers! However, if it is becoming as demanding as a second job, then it may be high time to have a word or two with that sparkling completion percentage. Have fun, and stay always satisfied with your accomplishments! 

PS: There is a tiny solution that we are experimenting with. Our hypothesis is that having snackable games can resolve the issue of achievement addiction and provide a comforting next step for people. Plus, if the games can be more relatable instead of just pure fantasy, then we might find ourselves creating as well as consuming games in a more democratic way. If you’re curious to learn more about how we are making it happen, do check out Chaotix AI.