[image: Unsplash / Alexey Savchenko]

Why Do Video Games Feel so Rewarding?

People of all ages and creeds play video games nowadays. A hobby once seen as something for the “nerds” of a group has now exploded into one of the most popular pastimes around.

Whether you are someone who dives deep into a multiplayer like Call of Duty, a battle royale like Fortnite, or spending a few minutes playing video slots, we have all experienced that rush you get when you win and succeed. 

Progression

One of the many reasons people love playing video games is the feeling of progression. Almost every game available today has some sort of system where the more you play, the more you can do and unlock.

Many of us like, even crave, this level of instant gratification. Video games provide this in so many different ways. The Battle Pass format has quickly risen to be the most popular system that rewards players for playing.

You don’t even have to be particularly skilled in the game you’re playing, you just have to put the time in, and you will be rewarded. This means that players of all skill levels and abilities have the opportunity to progress and earn special items, weapons, skins, or whatever is on offer in a game.

Skill

Improving your skill in a game is almost addictive for some. A game like Call of Duty requires you to have excellent map sense, know how to move effectively, and shoot and win gunfights.

Improving these skills is something gamers strive to do every time they play. There is always an opportunity to improve and get better no matter what game you are playing or who you are playing against.

This becomes particularly true in battle royale games when you have to fight against many opponents. Playing against other people is far trickier than playing against a computer-controlled enemy, and your only choice is to be skillfully better than your opponents.

Image: Unsplash / Fredrick Tendong

Medals and Trophies

Playstation game shave becomes famous for trophies and trophy hunting. Each game has a set of challenges to complete that will award players with a trophy. You can see these trophies in the trophy menu. 

Some of these will range from completing the game on a certain level to something far more complicated, like finishing a game without taking any damage. Many gamers aim to get all these trophies to ultimately finish a game. 

The real trophy hunting comes in the form of secret trophies. These trophies are incredibly rare, the rarest of the lot in a game, and to get them you may have to do the most straightforward or most complicated thing in the game. Some of these trophies can be given to play a game for 500 hours or when you fully complete a game on every difficulty level. 

This type of trophy hunting is a massive part of gaming, and people spend weeks, even months, trying to find them all before moving to another game. 

Success Against Others

Another aspect of gaming that people can’t get enough of is playing against their friends and strangers online. Playing against a computer-controlled enemy is fine for some, but the challenge of playing against other skilled players is incredibly fun. 

This tests your skills, and if you are good or lucky enough, you will win the games you play. This has become clear with the explosion of battle royale games. People of all skill levels jumped into battle royales and haven’t looked back. 

This test is almost the ultimate test you can get in a game, as all your knowledge and skills are tested against players that are equally, most times, better than you. This makes you want to get better and put more hours into a game. 

Image: Unsplash / Fredrick Tendong

Admiration

Finally, the last thing that gives people a rush when playing a game is the admiration from others. The feeling of pulling off an incredible play on your own and having your friends being in awe is a very nice feeling. 

While it may sound silly to some, this praise is the result of becoming better at a game you put so much time and effort into. It is a small reward that shows you have made progress and have improved.