Friend Spam / Impersonation

The game sends spam to your contact list or social media account.

Friend Spam is when a game automatically posts to your social media or emails people in your contact list without your knowledge. The game may even send these messages posing as you. Because your friends think that you are personally endorsing the game, they are more likely to download the game and give it a try.

Another form of impersonation is when the game uses your friend's names and pictures to falsely represent actions inside the game. The game may send you a gift and say it's from a friend, but your friend never did this. This tricks you into thinking that your friend is playing the game frequently, which may make you play it more frequently. It may also make you feel a need to reciprocate with a gift.
Citations and SourcesDark Patterns in the Design of Games
Friend Spam


Examples

Purrfect Tale Purrfect Tale
"You're offered often to post about the game in Facebook for a little bit of the currency- whether it be the main currency or a sperate event currency - which is a whole other red flag"

Tetris® Tetris®
"Admittedly, I'm not entirely sure. The game allows you to connect to Facebook. I'm unsure if it will post to your account once connected or not."

Beatstar - Touch Your Music Beatstar - Touch Your Music
"Limited to the game: Your in-game friends can brag about a new high-score if they beat yours. This is only limited to the game's notifications, which can be disabled."

Identity V Identity V
"Rewards are given if you post to social media every day in promotion of the game."

Pokémon UNITE Pokémon UNITE
"Keeps asking you to share with your friends for rewards"

Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of the Zodiac Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of the Zodiac
"Game encourages posts to social media posts for rewards...."

Lotsa Slots - Vegas Casino SLOTS Free with bonus Lotsa Slots - Vegas Casino SLOTS Free with bonus
"Facebook connection to ensure player ID stays the same"

animal restaurant animal restaurant
"You can send emails asking your friends to work at your restaurant for mutual gain"

Mobile Legends: Adventure Mobile Legends: Adventure
"There are often side event quests or material benefits for allowing facebook posts."

Love Nikki-Dress UP Queen Love Nikki-Dress UP Queen
"game encourages you to post on facebook multiple times a day for in game rewards"