Social Pyramid Scheme
You get a bonus for inviting your friends and then they have to invite their friends.
Some games will give you a bonus when you invite your friends to play and link to them to your account. This bonus may be a one-time benefit, or it may be an ongoing benefit that improves the gaming experience for each friend that you add. This gives players a strong incentive to convince their friends to play. Those friends then have to sign up more friends and so on, leading to a pyramid scheme and viral growth for the game.
Often, this is combined with another Dark Pattern called Social Obligation where you and your friends can help each other in the game. This leads to a feeling of obligation and people keep playing the game even when they no longer enjoy it.
Often, this is combined with another Dark Pattern called Social Obligation where you and your friends can help each other in the game. This leads to a feeling of obligation and people keep playing the game even when they no longer enjoy it.
Examples
Call of Duty®: Mobile"Rewards for inviting friends."
Delicious World - Cooking Game"yes, diamonds"
Dragon Mania Legends"New players can enter your recruitment code, which will earn you rewards. A certain number of players must be recruited in order to earn exclusive dragons."
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang"Minor in-game currency bonus for friends who join or click on the player's link"
Pocket Frogs"Ability to trade with other players to complete collection"
Dream Girlfriend"It requires 10 persons to join and play to a certain level for little to no rewards, just one dress set."
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite"In the fortresses, the higher level chambers can only be completed by playing with friends."
Star Trek Fleet Command"They currently have a promotion for rewards for inviting your friends."
Walking Dead: Road to Survival"Factions are the only way to compete in half of the tourneys."
Hay Day"Yes, you can compete in guilds to earn in-game rewards"