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Forced to watch ads or given rewards for watching ads.
Many games, especially free-to-play games, contain advertising. Instead of paying for the game with money, you pay for it with your attention. People are more willing to part with their attention than with their money, and often aren't aware of how much time they are giving to these in-game advertisements.
Advertisements by themselves are not necessarily a Dark Pattern, but they can become one if they are made too intrusive and interrupt normal gameplay too frequently. For example:
1) Ads that cannot be skipped.
2) Giving rewards for watching ads.
3) Tricking you into clicking on an ad by placing it in a place where you might accidentally click on it.
3) Disguising an ad to make it look like part of the game.
Games can sometimes treat watching an ad as a form of in-app currency to enable other dark patterns. For example, some games allow you to replenish your energy by watching an ad. This is a form of Pay to Skip where you are paying with your attention instead of money.
Advertisements by themselves are not necessarily a Dark Pattern, but they can become one if they are made too intrusive and interrupt normal gameplay too frequently. For example:
1) Ads that cannot be skipped.
2) Giving rewards for watching ads.
3) Tricking you into clicking on an ad by placing it in a place where you might accidentally click on it.
3) Disguising an ad to make it look like part of the game.
Games can sometimes treat watching an ad as a form of in-app currency to enable other dark patterns. For example, some games allow you to replenish your energy by watching an ad. This is a form of Pay to Skip where you are paying with your attention instead of money.
Examples
The World of Magic"About 5 to 10 ads on first login"
GraalOnline Era+"Facebook, and TikTok everywhere."
GraalOnline Zone+"Facebook, and TikTok everywhere.N"
Legacy of the Beast"can choose to watch ads to earn rewards"
Cut the Rope"the gane is 100% playable without Internet, BUT it pops up with a screen with ¿do you aceppt ads? with a red saying yes and a green saying buy anti ads"
Flutter: Starlight"A reward for premium currency is offered by watching (usually multiple) ads. The ads are optional, but there is an element of missing out if you don't as premium currency is used everywhere."
My Talking Tom Friends"2 ways, 1 is exactly what it sounds like and 2, the characters have dreams (see my review on wait to play for context) about games made by outfit7. (outfit7 is the one who made this game)"
Geometry Dash Lite"Because this is the free lite version, there are ads to help pay for this app’s existence"
Zombie Tsunami"You have the option to watch ads for a small amount of Premium Currency"
Overmortal-Idle RPG"Yes, though it’s much more minor as you can choose to watch them or not and they’re not necessary unless you really need the items or want some of the progression help"