🔄The Engagement Loop

Finding the right balance for player retention

The massive value of the global video game market is not an accident. It comes from leveraging fundamental aspects of human psychology. Known as The Engagement Loop, this phenomenon marries the perfect balance of rules, randomness, and predictability for the human psyche. Put simply, humans are hard-wired to find certain combinations of actions that are unpredictable within a familiar rule set deeply rewarding and engaging so long as the sequence of these actions is thoughtfully balanced. It is what drives video games, sports, social media, and casinos to their respective success.

To better understand the phenomenon of The Engagement Loop, let us observe one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time, Super Mario Brothers. It remains a perfect example of the balance between randomness and predictability. Should Mario move incorrectly, he risks the ire of the many enemy characters that occupy the Mushroom Kingdom. This randomness presents a challenge to the player. However, each enemy character maintains a predictable movement pattern, allowing players to navigate challenges and learn from past experiences. Additionally, while levels change, they retain their core components – bricks break, blocks don’t, and enemies move in patterns.

The Engagement Loop requires a few additional properties to fully immerse a player. An activity leveraging The Engagement Loop must require little skill and maintain high levels of simplicity. While Super Mario Brothers is dynamic, its gameplay is straightforward. Additionally, the skill gap between new users and veteran players must remain surmountable lest new players feel alienated by their comparative lack of skill. Anyone can easily pick up Super Mario Brothers and quickly grasp the core components of the game.

Now combine this with the chance at rewards in the form of cryptocurrency and we have a recipe for massive adoption.