Fredo Fabrucci: The Poster's Poster™
@fredo.bsky.social
U TWIT, I LOVE YOU
Everyone's favorite small account™
Everyone's favorite small account™
Yeah that's a good point - 78 is in that weird sort of nebulous zone where it's usually just short of contention in the major categories but there are definitely counter examples like the ones you name here - so probably it is based on the genre / style of game
November 27, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Yeah that's a good point - 78 is in that weird sort of nebulous zone where it's usually just short of contention in the major categories but there are definitely counter examples like the ones you name here - so probably it is based on the genre / style of game
Correct yes, this is a really good call out!
November 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Correct yes, this is a really good call out!
I think you can probably make a strong case that these types of games should be better represented in categories like acting and humor if nothing else, but I'm guessing the folks at these publications are not really looking twice at it cuz it's below 80 metacritic (just a theory of course)
November 27, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I think you can probably make a strong case that these types of games should be better represented in categories like acting and humor if nothing else, but I'm guessing the folks at these publications are not really looking twice at it cuz it's below 80 metacritic (just a theory of course)
But I do think you're onto something with the genre - Generally it's kind of an underappreciated one and the only somewhat recent games I can think of that really got serious critical accolades from mainstream publications in this space are slay the princess and doki doki literature club
November 27, 2025 at 8:03 PM
But I do think you're onto something with the genre - Generally it's kind of an underappreciated one and the only somewhat recent games I can think of that really got serious critical accolades from mainstream publications in this space are slay the princess and doki doki literature club
Personally I think it just fell a little short of contention here in terms of critical reception. It's one of those games that's considered really good and well liked but not quite competitive for best of the year. For traditional magazines like GI it's like an 8 losing to 9s basically
November 27, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Personally I think it just fell a little short of contention here in terms of critical reception. It's one of those games that's considered really good and well liked but not quite competitive for best of the year. For traditional magazines like GI it's like an 8 losing to 9s basically
btw game developers I am also happy to be totally unscrupulous and help you maximize profits for the right price 😈
Anyway class dismissed, this will all be on the test so I hope you took notes
Anyway class dismissed, this will all be on the test so I hope you took notes
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
btw game developers I am also happy to be totally unscrupulous and help you maximize profits for the right price 😈
Anyway class dismissed, this will all be on the test so I hope you took notes
Anyway class dismissed, this will all be on the test so I hope you took notes
Blizzard and Activision tend to be particularly insidious about this stuff because at one point a little bird told me that they actually employ psychologists just like me to maximally increase the likelihood of players spending as much money as possible. Wow, interesting stuff!!!
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Blizzard and Activision tend to be particularly insidious about this stuff because at one point a little bird told me that they actually employ psychologists just like me to maximally increase the likelihood of players spending as much money as possible. Wow, interesting stuff!!!
Oh and I didn't even get into how all of this is tied into time limited seasons, so there's a "use it or lose it" urgency to the whole thing before it's replaced by another pass. Another little trick to add a bit of pressure!
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Oh and I didn't even get into how all of this is tied into time limited seasons, so there's a "use it or lose it" urgency to the whole thing before it's replaced by another pass. Another little trick to add a bit of pressure!
In a game like Diablo 4 that's all about incrementally gaining stuff, I think this little cocktail of psychological tricks is really something! You'll typically notice similar mechanisms at play in other huge "money sink" games like Call of Duty
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
In a game like Diablo 4 that's all about incrementally gaining stuff, I think this little cocktail of psychological tricks is really something! You'll typically notice similar mechanisms at play in other huge "money sink" games like Call of Duty
and furthermore, you can't gain any more past a certain point, again making you feel like you're "wasting" it - the game also gives you pop ups and reminders as you gain these coins!
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
and furthermore, you can't gain any more past a certain point, again making you feel like you're "wasting" it - the game also gives you pop ups and reminders as you gain these coins!
The "free" currency is another interesting little wrinkle here, which you earn through play and use to unlock stuff within each tier. There's a maximum limit, so that once you hit that limit and have no platinum to spend, you're "wasting" your effort by gaining money you can't do anything with
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The "free" currency is another interesting little wrinkle here, which you earn through play and use to unlock stuff within each tier. There's a maximum limit, so that once you hit that limit and have no platinum to spend, you're "wasting" your effort by gaining money you can't do anything with
This piece is critical, because when you pair it with the feedback loop of the sunk cost effect, it makes you more likely to purchase more currency and effectively turns the game into a sort of "skinner box". Basically this feedback loop is how they get and keep "whales"
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This piece is critical, because when you pair it with the feedback loop of the sunk cost effect, it makes you more likely to purchase more currency and effectively turns the game into a sort of "skinner box". Basically this feedback loop is how they get and keep "whales"
Third, one neat little trick I'm seeing more and more is that these currencies are sold in set denominations which don't necessarily match up to the cost of the thing you want to buy, meaning you're likely to have some "left over".
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Third, one neat little trick I'm seeing more and more is that these currencies are sold in set denominations which don't necessarily match up to the cost of the thing you want to buy, meaning you're likely to have some "left over".
Second, typically these currencies are sold at a "conversion rate" in which they are worth slightly more than a dollar, to make them feel "more valuable". eg. it's usually something like 400 diamonds or platinum coins or whatever to 5 dollars, which makes it feel like you are getting "more"
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Second, typically these currencies are sold at a "conversion rate" in which they are worth slightly more than a dollar, to make them feel "more valuable". eg. it's usually something like 400 diamonds or platinum coins or whatever to 5 dollars, which makes it feel like you are getting "more"
Platinum here is a classic example of the in game premium paid currency that serves a few purposes. First off, it obfuscates how much actual money you are spending, and separates your in game purchases mentally from actual money, which makes you likely to spend more.
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Platinum here is a classic example of the in game premium paid currency that serves a few purposes. First off, it obfuscates how much actual money you are spending, and separates your in game purchases mentally from actual money, which makes you likely to spend more.
Ah, but the sunk cost effect is not the only mechanism at play here! Let's have a look at that currency, shall we? Notice how there are 2 currencies - 1 type of coin that is earned through playing and has a maximum limit of 99, and the other, platinum, which costs real money
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Ah, but the sunk cost effect is not the only mechanism at play here! Let's have a look at that currency, shall we? Notice how there are 2 currencies - 1 type of coin that is earned through playing and has a maximum limit of 99, and the other, platinum, which costs real money
Fighting games, for instance, know that their players tend to spend a lot of time in those games and hence make costumes for characters very expensive knowing that a lot of players have invested hundreds of hours and would consider 8 dollars for a costume reasonable under those circumstances
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Fighting games, for instance, know that their players tend to spend a lot of time in those games and hence make costumes for characters very expensive knowing that a lot of players have invested hundreds of hours and would consider 8 dollars for a costume reasonable under those circumstances
It's quite clever here how you don't reach the point of NEEDING to spend money until you reach the third tier, at which point you've probably spent a few dozen hours in the game and might feel it has "earned" you spending a bit more money. Many games exploit this effect to varying degrees!
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
It's quite clever here how you don't reach the point of NEEDING to spend money until you reach the third tier, at which point you've probably spent a few dozen hours in the game and might feel it has "earned" you spending a bit more money. Many games exploit this effect to varying degrees!
In such a situation, people are likely to think "well I've already spent x hours in this game (this is the sunk cost) so what's the big deal if I spend another 5 dollars, I've already gotten my money's worth" and so on.
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
In such a situation, people are likely to think "well I've already spent x hours in this game (this is the sunk cost) so what's the big deal if I spend another 5 dollars, I've already gotten my money's worth" and so on.
This is a common thing among predatory phone games, which typically have diminishing returns on rewards and try time things so that you've invested a significant amount into the game just as you start to hit this point where the rewards taper off
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This is a common thing among predatory phone games, which typically have diminishing returns on rewards and try time things so that you've invested a significant amount into the game just as you start to hit this point where the rewards taper off
So I'm going to review a few of the concepts at work here. First, this is a clever use of the "sunk cost" effect, in which you're not asked to contribute additional money until you've invested a significant amount of time in the game.
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
So I'm going to review a few of the concepts at work here. First, this is a clever use of the "sunk cost" effect, in which you're not asked to contribute additional money until you've invested a significant amount of time in the game.
Also notice how the contents of the first category contain just enough platinum to purchase the second tier! Wow, neat! Do they all work like this??? NOPE, THEY SURE DON'T, BUCKO!!! If you want those third or fourth tiers, you're going to have to purchase "platinum" with real money!
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Also notice how the contents of the first category contain just enough platinum to purchase the second tier! Wow, neat! Do they all work like this??? NOPE, THEY SURE DON'T, BUCKO!!! If you want those third or fourth tiers, you're going to have to purchase "platinum" with real money!
Let's have a look at the unlockable items! Quite a lot of interesting stuff here, and I'd like to draw your attention to a few details and the psychological mechanisms underpinning them! First, notice how the first category of items is unlocked, and how the second costs 200 platinum...
November 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Let's have a look at the unlockable items! Quite a lot of interesting stuff here, and I'd like to draw your attention to a few details and the psychological mechanisms underpinning them! First, notice how the first category of items is unlocked, and how the second costs 200 platinum...
*while being torn apart* ugh hate it when this happens
November 27, 2025 at 7:20 PM
*while being torn apart* ugh hate it when this happens