Avoid video games that use extrinsic motivation. A video game should at least mostly rely on intrinsic motivation, meaning that the playing of the game itself is the fun part, not the reward you get for playing the game. If you don’t enjoy the gameplay, but you want to earn lootboxes, you’ve fallen into the intentionally exploitative system operating within so many games nowadays, and you need to find another game, because you’re not having fun.
It doesn’t sound serious, but this kind of thing can make depression way worse if you’ve already got depression.
This post got me to stop playing Overwatch and I’m eternally grateful.
That’s also a core difference between a game trying to exploit the human brain’s tendency toward gambling addiction and a game that exists to entertain.
Like, it may sound like I’m reaching, but op described (pretty closely) the operation of gambling addictions. It’s also why the depression aspect is so real. You’re feeling a withdrawal, of a sort, when you can’t play the game.
Seriously, keep an eye out for this stuff!
