The article discusses how popular games and apps, such as Clash of Clans, gacha games, and Tinder, employ psychological techniques borrowed from gambling to manipulate users into spending more money. Time-gates and variable reward schedules create an addictive experience similar to slot machines. As these patterns become more recognized, there are calls for regulation and legal repercussions, as seen in instances like Match Group's recent lawsuits. Awareness of these methods is growing, leading to pushback against such practices across app categories, especially in regions like India where dark patterns are becoming illegal.
Take gacha games, a genre that's exploded in popularity. Named after Japanese toy vending machines, these games have players spend real money for randomized rewards. Sound familiar? It should: it's the same psychology that powers slot machines, just wrapped in anime characters instead of cherries and bells.
Match Group's legal troubles highlight an uncomfortable truth about the industry: many of these techniques aren't just psychologically manipulative, they may be legally actionable. And it's not just dating apps.
Collection
[
|
...
]