In-app purchases in games like Candy Crush are driven by psychological vulnerabilities in a subset of users
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Research demonstrates that in-game microtransactions and monetization systems utilize psychological mechanisms, cognitive biases, and vulnerability traits found in specific player subsets to drive spending behavior.
Currently about 2.71 billion humans use a smartphone worldwide. Although smartphone technology has brought many advances, a growing number of scientists discuss potential detrimental effects due to excessive smartphone use. Of importance, the likely culprit to understand over-usage is not the smartphone itself, but the excessive use of applications installed on smartphones. As the current business model of many app-developers foresees an exchange of personal data for allowance to use an app, it is not surprising that many design elements can be found in social media apps and Freemium games prolonging app usage. It is the aim of the present work to analyze several prominent smartphone apps to carve out such elements. As a result of the analysis, a total of six different mechanisms are highlighted to illustrate the prevailing business model in smartphone app development. First, these app-elements are described and second linked to classic psychological/economic theories such as the mere-exposure effect, endowment effect, and Zeigarnik effect, but also to psychological mechanisms triggering social comparison. It is concluded that many of the here presented app-elements on smartphones are able to prolong usage time, but it is very hard to understand such an effect on the level of a single element. A systematic analysis would require insights into app data usually only being available for the app-designers, but not for independent scientists. Nevertheless, the present work supports the notion that it is time to critically reflect on the prevailing business model of 'user data in exchange for app-use allowance'. Instead of using a service in exchange for data, it ultimately might be better to ban or regulate certain design elements in apps to come up with less addictive products. Instead, users could pay a reasonable fee for an app service.
Recently there has been increased interest in understanding the relationship between microtransactions, gaming, and gambling. This review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the relationship between microtransactions, 'Internet Gaming Disorder' (IGD), and Gambling Disorder in order to report on the: psychometric assessments used, sampling and demographic information, study design and sampling methods, relationships between microtransactions and both IGD and gambling disorder. Inclusion criteria included: refereed studies quantifying microtransactions and/or loot boxes examining their relationship with IGD and/or gambling disorder that were published between 2013 and 2021. Electronic databases were searched and the results were synthesised qualitatively. 14 studies were included. The quality of the evidence was 'Good' and clear positive relationships between microtransactions and both IGD and gambling disorder were identified. These relationships apply more to loot boxes than other microtransactions, and risky loot box use was identified as a possible mediator of these relationships. Additionally, microtransaction expenditure increased with the risk of gambling disorder. There is some evidence that adolescents who purchase loot boxes may be more at risk of developing gambling disorder. External validity is limited due to the cross-sectional nature of the evidence, the use of convenience sampling, and the predominantly Western samples resulting in non-representative samples. Prevalence rates of IGD and gambling disorder varied significantly across studies and were different to general prevalence rates. We conclude that there is a need to develop consistent methods for assessing IGD and microtransaction engagement in future research. Implications for policy-makers and future research are discussed.
Background and aims Social casino games (SCGs) feature gambling themes and are typically free to download and play with optional in-game purchases. Although few players spend money, this is sufficient to make them profitable for game developers. Little is known about the profile and motivations of paying players as compared to non-paying players. Methods This study compared the characteristics of 521 paying and non-paying Australian social casino game players who completed an online survey. Results Paying players were more likely to be younger, male, speak a non-English language, and have a university education than non-payers. Paying players were more likely to be more highly involved in SCG in terms of play frequency and engagement with games and emphasized social interaction more strongly as a motivation for playing. A cluster analysis revealed distinct subgroups of paying players; these included more frequent moderate spenders who made purchases to avoid waiting for credits and to give gifts to friends as well as less frequent high spenders who made purchases to increase the entertainment value of the game. Discussion These findings suggest that paying players have some fundamental differences from non-paying players and high spenders are trying to maximize their enjoyment, while non-spenders are content with the game content they access. Conclusions Given the structural similarities between SCG and online gambling, understanding subgroups of players may have broader implications, including identifying characteristics of gamers who may also engage in gambling and players who may develop problems related to excessive online gaming.
ABSTRACT This paper investigates how microtransactions in mobile games impact players with ADHD, exploring their purchasing behaviours compared to neurotypical players. Concerns grow regarding the tactics used by games companies to push microtransactions as this financial model becomes increasingly dominant within the games industry. This research used a pilot study of 144 participants, including both neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals, to identify differences in players’ relationships with microtransactions. The study found that ADHD neurodivergent players were more likely to purchase microtransactions in the first place and were additionally more susceptible to accidental purchases and exceeding budget limits. This research suggests that many traits associated with ADHD like impulsivity, executive dysfunction, and temporal discounting contribute to this increased vulnerability to the psychologically manipulative tactics employed to sell microtransactions. The paper calls for more ethical game design, regulatory oversight and industry reforms regarding microtransactions, and further research on how microtransactions uniquely affect neurodivergent players.
Abstract Background and aims Contemporary video game monetization systems are increasingly embedded within gameplay, structuring decision-making and spending. While research has focused on loot boxes, other strategies remain under examined despite relying on similar mechanisms. This study develops a structured typology of monetization systems as integrated design architectures operating through embedded psychological processes. Methods A structured, theory-informed synthesis of literature on video game monetization, behavioral design, gambling research, and consumer behavior was conducted. Strategies were organized across mode of value extraction, gameplay integration, and underlying psychological mechanisms. Results Four categories were identified: traditional sales, microtransactions, gamblification, and in-game advertising. Across these, recurring mechanisms, including reinforcement processes and cognitive biases (e.g., fear of missing out, loss aversion, near-miss effects), operate across structurally distinct systems and may be associated with outcomes ranging from engagement and consumer-related effects to problematic gaming, gambling-related harm, and behavioral addiction. Conclusions: Monetization strategies function as integrated design systems in which recurring mechanisms shape player behavior. The typology provides a framework for identifying vulnerability markers and informing transparency, consumer protection, and safety-by-design.
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