Loot Crates: How In-Game Rewards Hack Your Brain

A loot crate, a loot box or prize crate, is a virtual video game container containing random in-game items (Ballou, Gbadamosi,  & Zendle,2022). 

These items can vary depending on the game, but they often include:

·         Cosmetic items: These can change the appearance of your character or weapons but don't affect gameplay. Examples include new character skins, weapon camos, or unique emotes.

·         Power-ups or consumables: These items provide temporary benefits during gameplay, such as increased health, stronger weapons, or bonus experience points.

·         Crafting materials: These resources are used to create or upgrade other items in the game.

Examples of loot crates in different video games include the following…

·         Overwatch: This hero shooter offers loot crates that can contain cosmetic items for your characters, like victory poses, voice lines, and iconic skins. You can earn crates through gameplay or purchase them with real money.

·         Apex Legends: This battle royale game features loot crates called Apex Packs. These packs can contain cosmetic items for your characters and weapons, as well as crafting materials to upgrade existing items. You can obtain Apex Packs through free progression or by spending in-game currency earned through playing or purchased with real money. 

·         Call of Duty: Mobile: This game offers crates containing weapon blueprints, character skins, and calling cards. These crates can be earned through gameplay or purchased with in-game currency, which can be obtained for free or through real money transactions. Have you ever gotten that amazing loot drop after a tough boss fight and felt a surge of pure joy? Or maybe you excitedly logged in every day for a week to claim that sweet bonus item?  It's not just you, my friend. Game designers are like digital wizards, wielding the power of in-game rewards to keep us hooked and having a blast. But what's the secret sauce behind those shiny rewards? Let's dive into the fascinating psychology of in-game rewards and see how they cast their spell on us!

·         FIFA (Sports): FIFA utilizes player packs where you acquire a set number of random players to build your team. These packs can be obtained through gameplay milestones or purchased with in-game currency, which can be earned slowly through playing or bought with real money. This system has been particularly criticized for potentially creating a "pay to win" scenario.

·         Genshin Impact (Action RPG): Genshin Impact features "Wish" banners where players spend in-game currency or real money to acquire new characters and weapons. The rarity of these items is pre-determined, but the specific character or weapon obtained is random. This system is a core aspect of character acquisition in the game.

·         League of Legends (MOBA): League of Legends offers "Hextech Chests" and "Keys" as a way to earn random champion skins, emotes, and crafting materials. These chests can be earned for free through gameplay milestones or purchased directly. Keys can also be obtained for free or bought with real money.

Why do loot crates work?

The Dopamine Delight:

Imagine a tiny firework show happening in your brain every time you get a reward in-game. That's not too far off! Games trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good.  Studies like Gilbertson & Gentile (2020) and Walia, Kim, Ijere,  & Sanders, 2022) suggest that this is why that epic weapon or cool character skin feels so darn rewarding.  It's a positive reinforcement loop – you achieve something, get a reward, your brain releases dopamine, you feel good, and you keep playing!  

Beyond the Loot:

In-game rewards aren't just about shiny objects.  They can also fulfill our deeper psychological needs.  Think about the feeling of accomplishment you get after finally conquering a difficult level.  This taps into our need for competence,  a key motivator according to Self-Determination Theory (Tyack, & Mekler, 2020). Games with well-designed reward systems can make us feel like we're progressing, getting better, and ultimately, mastering the game (Mills, & Allen, 2020).

The Social Butterfly Effect:

Games aren't always solitary adventures.  Many games boast rewards that enhance our social experience.  Unlocking a special outfit you can show off to your online squad or earning points that contribute to your guild's leaderboard can trigger feelings of connection and belonging.  These social rewards can be incredibly motivating,  making us want to team up and contribute to a larger goal (Pirrone, van den Eijnden, & Peeters, 2024; Tyni, Turunen, Kahila, Bednarik, & Tedre, 2022).

Keeping the Spark Alive:

Just like any good relationship,  game rewards need to stay fresh to keep us engaged.  This is where variable rewards come in.  Imagine the excitement of not knowing exactly what you'll get from that mystery box,  compared to always getting the same old reward.  Variable rewards and side quests create a sense of anticipation and surprise, keeping us coming back for more (Guan, & Chen, 2023; Cole, & Gillies, 2021).

The Art of the Reward:

So, how can game designers use this knowledge to craft the perfect reward system?  The key is balance.  Rewards that are too easy to get can become boring,  while those that are too difficult can be frustrating.  The best rewards are challenging but achievable,  keeping us motivated and that sweet dopamine flowing (Larche, & Dixon, 2020; Becker, & Görlich, 2020).

In-game rewards are a powerful tool,  not just for keeping us glued to our screens  (though let's be honest, sometimes that's okay!),  but for shaping our gaming experiences in positive ways.  The next time you're enjoying a game and basking in the reward glow, remember, it's not just about the loot – it's about the clever psychology that makes gaming so much fun!

References

Ballou, N., Gbadamosi, C., & Zendle, D. (2022, January). The hidden intricacy of loot box design: A granular description of random monetized reward features. In Proceedings of DiGRA 2022 Conference: Bringing Worlds Together.

Becker, A., & Görlich, D. (2020). What is game balancing?-an examination of concepts. ParadigmPlus, 1(1), 22-41. https://journals.itiud.org/index.php/paradigmplus/article/view/7

Cole, T., & Gillies, M. (2021). Thinking and doing: Challenge, agency, and the eudaimonic experience in video games. Games and Culture, 16(2), 187-207.

Gilbertson, R. J., & Gentile, D. A. (2020). Video Gaming: A Challenge for the Brain’s Reward System?. The Handbook of Communication Science and Biology, 197-211.

Guan, J., & Chen, T. (2023). Exploring addiction mechanism of different game types. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8, 1490-1496.

Larche, C. J., & Dixon, M. J. (2020). The relationship between the skill-challenge balance, game expertise, flow and the urge to keep playing complex mobile games. Journal of behavioral addictions, 9(3), 606-616.

Mills, D. J., & Allen, J. J. (2020). Self-determination theory, internet gaming disorder, and the mediating role of self-control. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 106209.

Pirrone, D., van den Eijnden, R. J., & Peeters, M. (2024). Why We Can’t Stop: The Impact of Rewarding Elements in Videogames on Adolescents’ Problematic Gaming Behavior. Media Psychology, 27(3), 379-400.

 Tyack, A., & Mekler, E. D. (2020, April). Self-determination theory in HCI games research: Current uses and open questions. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems (pp. 1-22).

Tyni, J., Turunen, A., Kahila, J., Bednarik, R., & Tedre, M. (2022). Reward Types in Popular Recreational and Educational Mobile Games. IEEE Access, 11, 1166-1174.

Walia, B., Kim, J., Ijere, I., & Sanders, S. (2022). Video game addictive symptom level, use intensity, and hedonic experience: cross-sectional questionnaire study. JMIR Serious Games, 10(2), e33661.