Grinding
Being required to perform repetitive and tedious tasks to advance.
Grinding is a game mechanic where players are required to perform repetitive tasks. Each task earns the player experience points, levels, items or some other in-game benefit. The player will need to repeat the task many times to accumulate enough of the rewards for them to make a difference.
Often, the more you play the game, the more tasks you have to perform to get the same benefit as before. For example, level 1 may require you to perform 5 tasks, but level 2 may require you to perform 10 tasks for the same increase in level. This "ramping up" of the repetitive tasks allows new players to get hooked on the gameplay before it becomes too repetitive and boring. By the time the grind becomes excessive, players have already become addicted to the gameplay and continue playing even though it's not enjoyable anymore.
It should be noted that Grinding is the core mechanic of many games, and some people enjoy it. For those people, this isn't a dark pattern. However, if Grinding is combined with other dark patterns, like Pay to Skip where you can spend money to skip parts of the grind, then this dark pattern can be amplified.
Another way this can be amplified is by combining it with the Wait to Play dark pattern. If you need to perform 10 tasks, but you only have enough energy to perform 5, now you have to put the game down and retain some Endowed Progress. This is a powerful urge to come back to the game later and complete your goal.
Often, the more you play the game, the more tasks you have to perform to get the same benefit as before. For example, level 1 may require you to perform 5 tasks, but level 2 may require you to perform 10 tasks for the same increase in level. This "ramping up" of the repetitive tasks allows new players to get hooked on the gameplay before it becomes too repetitive and boring. By the time the grind becomes excessive, players have already become addicted to the gameplay and continue playing even though it's not enjoyable anymore.
It should be noted that Grinding is the core mechanic of many games, and some people enjoy it. For those people, this isn't a dark pattern. However, if Grinding is combined with other dark patterns, like Pay to Skip where you can spend money to skip parts of the grind, then this dark pattern can be amplified.
Another way this can be amplified is by combining it with the Wait to Play dark pattern. If you need to perform 10 tasks, but you only have enough energy to perform 5, now you have to put the game down and retain some Endowed Progress. This is a powerful urge to come back to the game later and complete your goal.
Citations and Sources • Dark Patterns in the Design of Games
• Why are Video Games Addictive?
• Behavioral Game Design
• Why are Video Games Addictive?
• Behavioral Game Design
Examples
The World of Magic"Average Korean MMO where leveling ONE time could take you weeks at best, months or years at worst"
Pokémon Sleep"Yo have to click each pokemon to received rewards"
GraalOnline Era+"It’s the whole point of the game, see how much hours you can get. And the game rewards you for the longer you grind."
GraalOnline Zone+"It’s the whole point of the game, see how much hours you can get. And the game rewards you for the longer you grind."
Cut the Rope"by a unnecesary coin sistem for skins for ropes that are new but the candies are now for grind"
Star Girl Fashion❤CocoPPa Play"Watering, treasure, there are more examples"
Rival Stars Horse Racing"Extremely repetitive nature to training, racing, and breeding horses"
Geometry Dash Lite"You often spend thousands of attempts beating the hardest levels"
Zombie Tsunami"There's a quest cycle, which you repeat daily to Progress your Trophies"
Overmortal-Idle RPG"This is a large portion of the game itself such as increasing Taoist grade, pandemonium/demon tower, battlefield and other such things"