„In the end, it’s not good for business.” Frostpunk 2 dev talks about using addictive techniques in games

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Possessing deep insights into psychology can prove incredibly valuable when crafting video games. This expertise allows game creators to design captivating mechanics more effectively, as they have a better understanding of how the human mind functions.

Although developers deserve appreciation for creating games with captivating narratives or mechanics, players tend to dislike instances where their involvement leads to spending money within the game.

Previously, Diablo Immortal faced allegations for being overly addictive and encouraging players to spend money. In 2023, an American family filed a lawsuit against multiple game publishers, claiming they deliberately employed tactics that foster addiction. Naturally, these companies denied these allegations. Now, one of the developers from Frostpunk 2 has weighed in on this issue.

It’s unethical and bad for business

In the YouTube channel of Slitherine Games, they have recently posted a video that focuses on strategy games. The distinguished attendees for this video included Slitherine’s CEO Iain McNeil and popular streamer 2DKiri, who is known for his expertise in strategy games and indie titles.

Additionally, Jakub Stokalski, a member of the 11 bit studios team, was also extended an invitation. During the discussion, the focus shifted towards the growing application of psychological elements within video games, given Stokalski’s academic background in applied psychology.

Stokalski affirmed that some strategies exist for creating games that can foster an addictive behavior. In simpler terms, his approach is to avoid relying on tactics that stimulate the brain to keep players consistently engaged with the game, at least not explicitly in project planning.

According to Stokalski, he referred to the “dark patterns” – methods used in designing a digital platform that influence users unfairly. He believes that employing these tactics is not just unethical, but also harmful for business interests.

In addition to finding these tactics (dark patterns) unethical, I believe they are detrimental to business in the long run. Instead of enhancing the user experience for its intended purpose, it skews it towards improper objectives. Given that we operate within the entertainment industry, our goal is to offer players innovative and engaging experiences.

It’s crucial for the creator to have the right tools at their disposal during the creative process. But equally significant is understanding not just how to use this knowledge, but also why it should be utilized in a specific way.

From my perspective, it boils down to the duty we developers hold. Crafting games with addictive features may seem profitable in the short term, but it could potentially undermine the faith of our players – an erosion that seldom fosters a beneficial future for our ventures.

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2025-07-25 13:32