The Universal Playbook

Here's what gachafication looks like across industries:

Core Mechanics:

• Earn through engagement (points/tokens from platform usage)


• Spend on uncertainty (currency for randomized rewards)


• Variable value delivery (common/rare/ultra-rare tiers)

Psychological Triggers:

• FOMO amplification through limited-time rewards


• Collection

... See more

Apps and websites sprinkle intermittent variable rewards all over their products because it’s good for business.

Like Dopamine Labs, a Scarcity API would likely be net-evil. But it could be a big business. What if a new software company could programmatically “drop” new features only to users with sufficient engagement, or online at the time of an event? What if unique styles could be purchased only in a specific window of time?

You might also be aware that all this is delivered by means of “persuasive design”—an umbrella term for an armory of psychological techniques borrowed directly from the designers of casino slot machines, for the express purpose of encouraging compulsive behavior. One example among hundreds is the ubiquitous drag-down-to-refresh gesture, which keeps... See more