Introduction
I played Brawl Stars, a live service business model game developed by Supercell, which is available via iOS on the App Store. Brawl Stars is designed for a younger audience, ranging from teens to young adults, who enjoy competitive, multiplayer experiences and are motivated by the social validation of game progression. Players engage in rounds of various mini-games which allow players to earn (or lose) game points/currency in the form of gems, tokens, experience points (XP), and trophies. The more game currency the player accrues, the more powerful the player becomes. To progress through the game, players unlock, customize, and level-up characters through earning rewards in randomized “loot boxes” that contain characters, skins, or currency based on the rareness-level of the box. The live service model ensures that the game frequently updates, adding new content and limited-time events, which keep players engaged and encourage continued spending.
Central Argument
In Brawl Stars, a player’s ability to stay alive and win in the mini-games is directly tied to their character’s strength; thus, the ultimate goal in Brawl Stars is to have the most powerful character. Players are constantly motivated to achieve this goal by unlocking better characters, upgrading their abilities, and increasing their chances of winning. The randomized reward system of loot boxes fuels this desire for progression. As players earn rewards through loot boxes, the excitement of potentially unlocking a rare item or power-up creates a psychological hook. The uncertainty of what’s inside combined with the anticipation of winning a valuable item harnesses the idea of variable reinforcement which rewards addictive behavior over long periods of time. Players are continually driven to invest more time and money to increase their odds of receiving higher-yield rewards. This randomness encourages players to keep playing, driven by the desire to open more loot boxes for the chance of a “big win”, creating a cycle of anticipation and repeated investment.
Closer Analysis
The combination of randomized loot boxes and player perception of power creep are the core components of the addictive game loop of Brawl Stars. On one hand, opening a loot box instills hope in players because they believe that their next loot box reward will be more powerful than the previous one due to the inherent belief that the player deserves better rewards with time. On the other hand, the randomness of the boxes introduces a cycle of uncertainty and frustration, as players often receive common or less valuable items; this results in the perception of a “near miss” (from the ‘Addiction by Design’ reading) which further drives player desire to continue opening more boxes. This combination of anticipation and disappointment creates a powerful emotional pull, with players feeling both rewarded and dissatisfied. The tension between hope for a valuable item and the likelihood of receiving a lesser one fuels compulsive behavior, where players continue to spend time and money in pursuit of the “perfect” or rare reward.
One specific example of how the game heightens player investment is through time-limited events. These events, often featuring exclusive rewards or higher chances to earn specific characters, are designed to create a sense of urgency. Below is a screenshot of a current limited-time event, “The Battle for Katana Kingdom” honoring manga culture, that promotes the purchase of a “Brawl Pass” to gain increased access to loot boxes offering higher chances of rare items during the event period:
These time-constrained events tap into the player’s FOMO, encouraging players to spend money or invest more time to take advantage of the event’s rewards before it expires. The desire to collect exclusive rewards or unlock the latest limited-time character leads players to make quick, impulsive decisions, thus boosting in-game purchases.The randomness of what rewards might be unlocked during these events combined with the pressure of a time limit intensifies addiction and makes it difficult to break out of the mindset of “just one more” box/game.
Another important element fueling the addictive nature of the game is social interaction. Players can join clubs and compete with friends, resulting in an environment which pressures players to “keep up” with or outperform their peers. For example, the inclusion of leaderboards and public rankings, as seen below, contribute to this social comparison dynamic by creating fear of falling behind other players.
The desire to perform better in these leaderboards or to be seen as a more “skillful player” amplifies the player’s motivation to progress. This results in a chain reaction that pushes players to further engage in random loot box purchases for character upgrades. Over time, this reinforces a game loop that makes progression feel tied to both social status and random chance. The randomness of loot boxes thus becomes not only a mechanic for individual progression but also a social tool that encourages continual spending to stay relevant within the community.
Comparison to Other Games
When comparing Brawl Stars to other live service games like Pokemon Go, clear patterns in designing addiction emerge. Both leverage social interaction and competitive elements to draw in engagement, but the two games differ in terms of the core mechanics used to create addiction. Brawl Stars places strong emphasis on the element of randomness with loot boxes as the motivator for progression. Although Pokemon Go has some random elements with eggs and raid battles, it mainly focuses on rewarding players for consistent play with XP and character level-up. When designing reward systems, these two games exemplify how different strategies can equally contribute to fostering addictive behavior. The uncertainty of reward works for Brawl Stars because it keeps players hooked by creating anticipation and repeated investment in hopes of rare rewards. Likewise, Pokemon Go’s predictable reward system also leans into addiction by providing continuous achievement and progress, encouraging long-term engagement. Ultimately, both games use their respective systems to ensure players remain invested, but through different psychological mechanisms that exploit both uncertainty and consistent reward.
Ethics- when is it morally permissible to use chance in games?
Chance is a game mechanic that toes the line between engagement and addiction, and I think there should be more clear-cut frameworks on the extent to which chance can be used to create meaningful gameplay experiences without exploiting players’ vulnerabilities or encouraging compulsive spending behaviors. For instance, I think the implementation of chance should take into consideration the age of the target audience. Games designed for younger players, such as teens or children, are particularly susceptible to manipulation through random reward systems. Thus, games targeted at this audience should limit in-game purchases that rely on chance; be transparent about the odds of chance-related events (ex. Chance of getting a regular, rare, and epic reward); and ensure that progression largely remains skill-based or achievable through regular gameplay (rather than chance). Beyond age, I think chance should be permissible when it enhances player experience without compromising fairness. Progression should be driven by means outside of chance so that the player still feels in control of their advancement in the game. Chance is valuable in adding variety and excitement into a game, but it becomes morally problematic when players feel they must spend excess resources (time, money) to advance or succeed.
Therefore, if I were to improve Brawl Stars, I would first implement clear odds for loot boxes to ensure that players are aware of the likelihood of receiving specific rewards. By providing more transparency into the reward system, I would hope to give players more control and reduce feelings of frustration or manipulation. I would also limit in-game purchases relying on chance and focus more on features that can enhance skill-based gameplay. Shifting dependence away from random rewards can help foster a deeper sense of achievement and progression, allowing for longer-term player investment in the game.
Concluding Analysis
The mechanic of random rewards in Brawl Stars creates a push-and-pull game loop dynamic between earning highly desired and low-value items, resulting in an aesthetic of constant pursuit for better rewards. This maximizes fun in the form of challenge. The experience of opening loot boxes leverages the concepts of intermittent rewards, near misses, and losses disguised as wins, all of which fuel compulsive behavior. The fast cycle time and constant updates intensify this addictive loop, drawing players into the machine zone where they feel compelled to keep playing despite the lack of control over the rewards. By understanding these dynamics, we see how randomness in game design can exploit psychological tendencies, making it difficult for players to break free from the cycle of reward-seeking, ultimately increasing the risk of addiction.
