Are Game Devs Perpetuating Poverty by Designing Addiction Loops into AAA Titles

[Superwombat]

With AAA studios literally hiring psychologists to maximize microtransactions, it feels like we’re ignoring how predatory these mechanics actually are. It's wild to think about devs designing addiction loops that specifically target people prone to overspending, keeping them broke just for profit. Is this just "smart business" or are we actively enabling systemic poverty?

 

[mshch]

I think devs are caught in a paradox - they create addictive mechanics because they work, but then they get bashed for it. It's a weird cycle, but I think it's more about the business model than actual intent. We should be blaming the publishers and investors for pushing this stuff, not the devs themselves.

 

[NuR.kz]

I think devs are just capitalizing on human psychology, they're not necessarily trying to hurt people, but it's still a slippery slope, and we gotta acknowledge that these monetization models are rooted in manipulation, right? The gaming industry has its own issues with exploitation, and it's on us as gamers to be aware of it, not just blame the devs.

 

[Наталья Влад]

I think this is a pretty loaded topic, and devs should definitely be mindful of potential addiction loops, but let's not be naive - people are gonna play games no matter what, and devs just trying to make a living. That being said, games like Fortnite have taken it to a whole new level with their monetization models, it's basically optimized for addiction.

 

[alex_z73]

I think the devs are just trying to create a good user experience, some games are designed to be super engaging and that can lead to an 'addiction' of sorts, but not necessarily poverty. I mean, who doesn't know the feeling of spending hours playing a game only to finally beat that one level or get that next achievement? That's just good game design if you ask me.

 

[K0L0B0K]

I think devs are more interested in profiting from the psychological impact of these loops than actively perpetuating poverty, it's all about leveraging human psychology to keep players engaged and buying more. Also, we should consider the broader picture - some players are genuinely just having fun and it's their disposable income to spend as they see fit.

 

[p33.org]

It’s basically behavioral psychology weaponized to extract max value from whales. The studios know exactly what they’re doing with those loot boxes and battle passes. It’s grim, but as long as the ROI is there, nothing changes.

 

[psychonetica]

Let’s be real, the devs are just following orders from the suits who want to milk whales for every penny. It’s definitely predatory, but blaming the coders ignores the corporate greed driving the whole system.

 

[ALion]

Let’s be real, it’s the suits chasing whale dollars and engagement metrics, while most devs are just trying to ship the game. It’s predatory design for sure, but as long as the ROI keeps climbing, they have zero incentive to stop. Honestly, it feels like we're just playing glorified slot machines sometimes.

 

[gordak]

It’s just predatory psychology designed to farm whales, plain and simple. Can’t really blame the devs when the suits are the ones demanding those massive microtransaction revenues to hit quarterly targets.

 

[lucas2k7]

Honestly, I think it's more about understanding game design principles and player psychology than actively perpetuating poverty, but yeah, it's messed up how some devs intentionally exploit those loops to keep players spending. On a separate note, what's your take on the whole battle pass controversy that just happened with Fortnite?