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
War and Order"Leveling various buildings multiple times"
Drifto"While the "grind" comes from playing the game, earning coins can be quite tedious. The player typically earns 5% of their score in coins once they crash. However, the player can earn double the coins by watching advertisements."
Little Alchemist"Upgrading your cards can only be achieved by paying or grinding levels for currency."
Stick War: Legacy"Skins are expensive and require lots of gems."
Pocket God™"It's kinda a sandbox game, but it does have a campaign you use to get statues in order to battle against AI in turn-based, rock-paper-scissors-like combat, but you get statues by completing challenges / solving puzzles, which pretty much gives the player something to do besides aimlessly wandering around & trying things. The statues *do* level up though"
BASEBALL 9"The game is split into 'leagues', and sometimes you may be stuck on a league, having to play it a few times before becoming the champion, but at the same time, winning every league wouldn't be that fun, as the game wouldn't have any real challenge. I think the skill curve is not too steep and it's justified for what it is."
Cookie Run: Kingdom"grinding is hella annoying in this game."
Dragon RPG: Dragon Village M"The whole point of the game is dragon care which ends up being fairly repetitive"
Candy Crush Saga"I think that some of the levels are intentionally designed to be impossible to complete in the allotted amount of moves. This meant I'd play the same level over and over again trying to beat it without spending money, and I'd eventually give in and buy the in-game currency because I just wanted to move onto the next level."
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI D×２"Have to grind to win in online multiplayer"