Video games can transport us to unique worlds where we play as wonderful characters in strange and exotic lands. It’s a stimulating experience and one that can, depending on the type of game, have a lot of narrative built-in.
Yet at the core of video games, be they mobile, online casino games, or RPGs with intense storylines and depth, is a simple enough reward system that orientates players towards achieving goals or just to keep playing.
This feedback loop tells the players how to advance by completing tasks or how to make small victories within the game that lead to an ultimate win.
Humans like to achieve goals and to get rewarded for doing so. When we are very young, we learn to walk and as a result, we have more agency over our environment, as well as getting praised for doing so. This continues throughout education, in our careers, our social lives, and so on.
Developers use this same system of rewards when designing video games.
Complete the task → get rewarded → feel a sense of achievement
That’s the basic formula we’ll be looking at as we explore how video games utilize bonuses and in-game rewards to make gameplay more enjoyable.
Online casino games: pokies and beyond
The first place to start when we’re talking about bonuses in gaming is online casinos. They use bonuses and incentives both in-game and on the platform to attract and retain players.
Games such as slots utilize bonuses and rewards constantly. Many of the online pokies at Ignition have jackpots or progressive jackpots, which are huge, often life-changing prizes. They are difficult to win but provide a huge incentive and potential reward.
Pokies also have other bonuses to break up the gameplay and vary the rewards players gain, such as Wild cards, multipliers, scatter symbols, and mini-games.
Online casinos also offer a number of promotions and offers outside of the game rewards. Often, these are given to the player for basic actions such as making a first deposit or for continued play at the site.
Rewards in video games
In every video game, players are rewarded for progression. This can be very subtle, as is the case with a cutscene or character revelation. Or it can be an explicit reward, such an item that comes from a chest after defeating a boss.
In shooter games, you usually earn points and move up in ranks, which could result in unlocking new weapons or aesthetic rewards known as “skins”. In a football game, you progress up the league, which is a reward in itself, and may also achieve unlocks for hitting various milestones.
In modern games, some rewards are simply hidden behind a paywall, as is the case with loot boxes or microtransactions that unlock items. This is a reflection of instant gratification culture, but also a successful business model for developers of certain genres.
What tends to change across games is the frequency of rewards, the type of reward, and the value to the player. This often depends on the genre of the game and the player base it’s aimed at.
For example, a casual mobile game will usually give very frequent rewards for doing not very much, creating a fast and regular feedback loop. A deeper and more challenging game, such as an action RPG like Elden Ring, will make players work hard for rewards.
RPGs will often randomize rewards so that a certain item or boss only appears a small percentage of the time. This encourages replayability in the form of grinding.
Types of rewards in gaming
There are a few different types of reward in gaming and these taxonomies have been well documented. Games will typically use multiple types of rewards and even a single bonus could include a blend of several.
- Access – These rewards give the player access to a new area, environment, or even a narrative cutscene that reveals something about the story arc or develops the character. In a way, this is the most subtle type of reward but is very important in story-driven games.
- Facility – A reward that improves the effectiveness of the player’s characters, such as a new weapon, skillset, or spell.
- Sustenance – Rewards that are resources within the game and will help keep the character alive, such as food, water, health pickups, or in-game currency like gold.
- Glory – Rewards that demonstrate an achievement, usually a difficult one. These can include trophies, badges, cosmetic items, winning a level or game, or setting a record or high score.
- Praise – Verbal or textual praise within the game, such as from a side character after completing a mission. Could also be praise from a community or clan, as is common in online gaming.
- Sensory feedback – When the game rewards the senses with a pleasant or celebratory sound, beautiful visual, or engaging cutscene.