What is it that makes a game truly exciting? It’s not just the mechanics or the graphics; it’s the stakes. The most exciting video games make us, the players, feel that our actions in game have consequences. But more than that, they make us believe that those consequences really matter. When players truly feel they have something to gain or lose, we forget ‘it’s just a game’, we invest emotionally, and we experience real excitement.
You see, it’s deeply ingrained into human nature to find stakes thrilling. The element of risk offset by the hope of reward is the reason that gambling has such an enduring popularity across cultures. Of course, in gambling, the stakes are tangible. You’re wagering real cash, and if all goes well, you walk away richer. New online casinos might revamp tried and true formulas, introducing novel games with subversive mechanics and modern visuals – but they never stray far from this core appeal.
For video games, it’s different. Without cold, hard cash riding on the outcomes, developers have to get creative to make players believe their games have stakes. They must find ways to make players feel emotionally invested, even if there’s no tangible prize available outside of the game itself. Here’s how they do it.
Narrative Stakes
In games with compelling narratives, the characters, and their goals are the primary source of stakes. If the story and its writing are good, players form strong emotional connections with their favorite characters, rooting for their success and fearing for their safety. This emotional investment creates a powerful sense of stakes, as players feel that their actions can directly impact the fate of the characters they care about.
Look at last year’s highly acclaimed role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), for example. BG3’s in-depth branching narrative allows players to form deep connections with a variety of characters, each one uniquely lovable and motivated. As players progress through the game, they repeatedly encounter challenges, choices, and moral dilemmas. Thanks to the game’s complex butterfly effect style narrative, player choices in BG3 have far-reaching consequences. The outcome of a successful persuasion, deception, or stealth check may be the difference between a good or terrible ending for your whole run.
Progression Stakes
But even without a complex narrative, stakes can be created through progression mechanics and reward systems. Rewards, such as unlocking new abilities, items, or areas, serve as the motivation. Meanwhile, the risk of failure and the fear of losing progress creates tension.
This is particularly true in roguelike games, where failure means restarting from the beginning with all of your progress lost. In the massively popular roguelike Hades, for example, players must repeatedly delve into the underworld, facing increasingly difficult enemies and traps. Every run is doomed to fail, and the player knows it. They will eventually be outmatched and have to start again with nothing. But the game’s rotating menu of unpredictable boons and the hopes of getting just a bit further each time keep the relentless protagonist, Zagreus, and the players themselves repeatedly returning to hell for another round.
Competitive Stakes
Multiplayer competition can be a powerful tool for creating stakes. Games like Fortnite feature tournaments and leaderboards that allow players to compete against each other for bragging rights and rewards. Multiplayer games often feature social features, such as chat rooms, guilds, and clans, that allow players to connect, sharing in the elation of victory and the shame of defeat. This introduces social pressure to the game, which creates the stakes. Players may feel a sense of responsibility to their team, wanting to bring home victory and avoid letting their teammates down. The fear of losing, especially in public settings or against friends, can add to the tension and excitement of the competition, making the competitive experience even more
rewarding and intense.