Unknown rewards that create anticipation and excitement
Core Idea: Mystery Boxes are containers of unknown rewards that users can earn or unlock, creating anticipation and excitement through uncertainty about what might be inside.
Key Elements
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Implementation Approaches:
- Earned Containers: Boxes, chests, or packages awarded for completing specific actions
- Progressive Reveals: Contents that gradually become visible as users interact
- Multi-tiered Rewards: Different quality levels (common, rare, legendary) with varying probabilities
- Collection Opportunities: Potential to receive items that complete valuable sets
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Psychological Mechanisms:
- Activates Core Drive 7 - Unpredictability and Curiosity
- Creates anticipation similar to unwrapping gifts
- Produces dopamine release during both anticipation and reward phases
- Maintains engagement through variable reward schedules (based on The Skinner Box Experiment)
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Implementation Examples:
- Gaming Loot Boxes: Containers with random in-game items
- Subscription Mystery Boxes: Monthly deliveries with unknown products
- Digital Card Packs: Sets of collectible virtual cards with varying rarities
- Achievement Rewards: Unknown bonuses unlocked after meeting specific goals
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Design Considerations:
- Balance between randomness and perceived fairness
- Transparency about odds for different reward tiers
- Ensuring rewards feel valuable regardless of rarity
- Ethical implementation that avoids exploitative practices
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Variable Reward Schedules (the psychological foundation)
- Applications: Reward System Design (practical implementation guidelines)
- See Also: Random Rewards (related technique focusing on action-reward unpredictability)
References
- Yu-kai Chou, Actionable Gamification
- Game Technique #72 in the Octalysis Framework
#gamification #rewardsystems #unpredictability #engagement
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