from a Player’s and Game Designer’s Point of View

Patrick Perdomo

Computer Science Bachelor’s Thesis 15 ECTS credits Spring 2021 Supervisor: Steve Dahlskog CONTENTS

I Introduction 3 I-A Related Work and Purpose ...... 3 I-B Delimitation ...... 4

II Method 4

III Results 4 III-A Defining ”Grind” ...... 5 III-B Defining the Sub-Grinds ...... 5 III-B1 Sub-grind overview ...... 5 III-C The MMORPG Grind ...... 6 III-C1 Overview ...... 6 III-C2 Examples ...... 6 III-C3 ...... 7 III-C4 Consequences ...... 7 III-C5 Relations ...... 7 III-D The Ladder Grind ...... 7 III-D1 Overview ...... 7 III-D2 Examples ...... 7 III-D3 Gameplay ...... 8 III-D4 Consequences ...... 8 III-D5 Relations ...... 8 III-E The Background Grind ...... 8 III-E1 Overview ...... 8 III-E2 Examples ...... 8 III- Gameplay ...... 9 III-E4 Consequences ...... 9 III-E5 Relations ...... 9 III-F The Gacha Grind ...... 9 III-F1 Overview ...... 9 III-F2 Examples ...... 9 III-F3 Gameplay ...... 10 III-F4 Consequences ...... 10 III-F5 Relations ...... 10 III-G The Social Game Grind ...... 11 III-G1 Overview ...... 11 III-G2 Examples ...... 11 III-G3 Gameplay ...... 11 III-G4 Consequences ...... 11 III-G5 Relations ...... 11 III-H The Grind ...... 11 III-H1 Overview ...... 11 III-H2 Examples ...... 11 III-H3 Gameplay ...... 12 III-H4 Consequences ...... 12 III-H5 Relations ...... 12 III-I The Lone Grind ...... 12 III-I1 Overview ...... 12 III-I2 Examples ...... 12 III-I3 Gameplay ...... 12 III-I4 Consequences ...... 13 III-I5 Relations ...... 13 III-J Interview Results ...... 13 IV Analysis 15 IV-A How Grinding Became Popular ...... 15 IV-A1 Online gaming ...... 15 IV-B Interview results vs. Research results ...... 16 IV-B1 Grind definition ...... 16 IV-B2 Sub-grinds ...... 16 IV-B3 How players perceive grinds ...... 16 IV-C How Grinds Play the Player ...... 16 IV-C1 Pay-to-Win grinds ...... 16 IV-C2 Sunk cost fallacy ...... 16 IV-C3 Limited time events ...... 16 IV-D How Grinds are Made Enjoyable ...... 17 IV-D1 Progression ...... 17 IV-D2 Online ...... 17 IV-D3 Relaxation ...... 17 IV-D4 Optimization ...... 18 IV-E When Grinding is Appropriate ...... 18

V Discussion 18 V-A Sub-Grinds ...... 18 V-B Bias ...... 19 V-C Result Limitations ...... 19 V-D Self-realization Kills the Monotonous Grind ...... 19 V-E Grinds are Only a Feeling ...... 20 V-F Are Grinds Bad ? ...... 20

VI Conclusion 20 Grinding from a Player’s and Game Designer’s Point of View

Patrick Perdomo Computer Science, Game Development. Malmo¨ University Malmo,¨ Sweden [email protected]

Abstract—Frequently in MMORPGs, players will encounter Grinds continued to show up in single-player RPGs long something known to players as farming or grinding. Grinding after the release of ”dnd” in 1975, even though it was said to be is a controversial matter in the gaming community, as many a result of poor game design [3]. However, some do embrace do not enjoy it and see it as a sign of lazy and poor game design. However, it is a difficult topic to argue as whatever is a grinds and enjoy them [4]. With the release of MMORPGs, grind, differs to each person. To elevate the discussion about grinds took on a new form and evolved. Competitive and social grinds in the gaming community, this paper aims to give a aspects made grinding even more profound and meaningful to definition to grinds and answer how they are perceived by players players as now they had others to compete and show off their and designers alike. Grinds are argued to be dull, tedious and hard work to. Grinds leveled up themselves with MMORPGs monotonous, but they are ever prevalent in games today. To find what differentiates between a satisfying or waste of time grinding, and became a bigger than ever before. this paper also aims to discover what makes a grind enjoyable, According to some game designers, incorporating a grind and when they are appropriate. into a game means having to compensate in some way to The results of this paper are built upon previous works make it less boring [2]. Implementing a tedious aspect into a and media on game design and grinds. Interviews were held game seems contradictory to ”good game design”, as games with players that grind to get a deeper understanding of what drives players to grind. The results define grinds as the act are often said to be for fun. ”If it’s not fun, why bother?” of doing something repeatedly for one’s own gain. Seven sub- [5] For MMORPGs, a grind may be unavoidable due to the grinds that are found in different games were defined, each with nature of the genre, but grinds are bleeding into more games varying characteristics. Grinds are not inherently bad, despite that are not MMORPGs. In shooters like “Fortnite” and ”Call the negative connotations. They are like any other aspect of a of Duty”, it is arguable that there are multiple grinds, there game, they can be executed well or poorly. It is the developers responsibility to design a well balanced grind, that does not is a grind to up, increase competitive rank, and one for hinder players from doing what they like, and deliver a satisfying their battle passes. experience. There is a whole genre of games that are entirely based Index Terms—Clicker games, Farming, Grind, Game design, around grinding, ”clicker games” such as ”Cookie Clicker”, MMORPG, Progression, RPG, Social-games, Sunk cost fallacy where you click a cookie to earn upgrades that give you more cookies. I.INTRODUCTION With grinds becoming increasingly common, there has to be more to them than that they are just dull and tedious. Perhaps In 1975 two students released a game called ”dnd”, inspired they are being employed more because grinds seemingly by Dungeons & Dragons. This was one of the first games with increase player retention, partly due to the sunk cost fallacy non-linear progression, allowing players to return to earlier [6][7]. The time spent grinding on leveling and gearing a levels to grind for experience points and . Players would character becomes valuable to the player, and most people do this to prepare for the Golden Dragon at the end, effectively want to avoid throwing all that effort away by quitting the creating the first grind [1]. game. When designing grinds, developers may be aware of ”Grinding” is commonly encountered in RPGs as you level the attachment a player may form to their characters, which your character. Progressively everything throughout the game can be used against the player to keep them playing the game. takes a bit longer to do, whether it is getting to the next level or finding better equipment. Grinding can be described as the A. Related Work and Purpose act of repetitively doing a task for one’s gain and is often used to extend the length of a game artificially [2]. The research field of game design is heavily researched, Game designers will agree that one of the most critical with plenty of avenues to draw inspiration. The game industry aspects of designing a game is having engaging and fun is ever-growing, so are the games with it, allowing new gameplay. This makes it curious as to why grinding; a game avenues to be explored. The area of grinding in game design design choice often described as dull and tedious, is becoming is an unexplored avenue as it has evolved from its early days increasingly common in video games [2]. as the only way to progress in RPGs. With the rise of online gaming, grinds have taken on new forms and become ever Playing relevant games with grinds and an extensive survey more prevalent. of relevant media and literature was conducted to gather The paper is largely inspired by the paper by Jose´ P. Zagal, data. Interviews were conducted to further gather data and Staffan Bjork¨ and Chris Lewis ”Dark Patterns in the Design of to compare it with the data gathered from the SLR. Games” [8] that described grinds as a temporal dark pattern The research process is called SLR (Systematic Literature in game design. The paper describes grinds as “performing Review). It consists of identifying, selecting, and critically repetitive and tedious tasks” and argues that grinds may have appraising research to fully grasp how both players and video players feel ”cheated” out of their time. It takes a negative game designers perceive grinding. This was done by carefully stance to grinding as it prioritizes time invested over skill, planning a protocol before conducting any research [10]. and in worst cases can be conducted unattended by the player. Research questions were established, e.g., What makes a ”Grinding, as a dark pattern, is a way of coercing the grind fun? OR How can grinds be used maliciously? Inclusion player into needlessly spending time in a game for and exclusion criteria were established, such as the included the sole purpose of extending the game’s duration source must be in English AND they can not be about grinding (...)” outside the context of gaming. After relevant studies, literature, media, and games are located and assessed for quality data, it This inspired the author to learn more about grinding, and is then analyzed, presented, and finally interpreted. find out when a grind was satisfying instead of a waste of Due to the nature of the topic being very subjective, many time. The paper raised some questions, as grinds were loosely angles and opinions are weighed during the research process. defined, which makes it harder to know exactly what the paper To pass the review, it was essential that the players’ opinions was referring to. Why was progressing a grind unattended the about grinding were shared by many others and that the ”worst case”, when there is a whole genre of games that allow designers’ opinions were those of designers with experience in players to do just that, for fun? designing a grind themselves. To reach a satisfying conclusion The purpose of this paper is to give grinds a proper to the research where their interests align and disconnect had definition in the context of game design, answer how they to be known. are made enjoyable, and where they are appropriate. The qualitative part of the methodology were interviews Grinds are a well-known thing in real , and are an with volunteering participants. The only requirement to par- inherently negative thing as it implies hard, monotonous work. ticipate in the interview was to have felt they had engaged with Grinds are more than just that in gaming, and this paper aims a grind in a game before. They were asked relevant questions to delve deeper into that further by looking into how both to the paper that will help narrow down what players like or players and game designers perceive grinds and what both dislike about grinds. The interviewees are anonymous to let need to keep in mind. respondents be free to answer without fear of disagreement or Research question: How do players and game designers reprisals. perceive grinds in games? To interpret and transcribe answers faithfully, interviews are B. Delimitation recorded, with consent. The interviews were held in Swedish. The interviews therefore are not as directly transcribed as they This paper will solely focus on the grinds found in video also have to be translated for the paper. games. Grinds may be found in real life as well. Things such The transcription process is done by ear without software, as as working, going to the gym, and education are sometimes most software is reliant on that the interview is in English and described as grinds. They have some things in common with has excellent audio quality. The interviews were performed grinds in video games but are not relevant to this paper. remotely which may lead to varying audio quality depending This paper will also not delve too far into the psychological on participants microphones and background noise. aspect of grinds. Grinds affect the mind in various ways that The method of transcription is edited intelligent verba- can not be fully explained without psychological background. tim transcription. Summarizing answers from the intervie- Some lesser ethical developers take advantage of this with wee without fillers such as ”uhm”, ”yeah” etc. To improve addiction mechanics, examples of those are the Skinner Box readability grammar mistakes and broken sentences are fixed. [9] or the sunk cost fallacy which will only be touched upon Irrelevant sentences may be omitted if it does not change the lightly. The possible consequences of a grind are explored in meaning of the answer. this paper, but the psychological reasons as to why are not. III.RESULTS II.METHOD The results of the literary research include the definition of This paper aims to define and discover the different types a grind, identifies seven different types of grinds, and a table of grinds in games and analyze how players and designers of different aspects of grinds present in each sub-grind. The perceive them and what they should keep in mind about grinds. grind definition found is used as the basis for all of the seven Since quantitative and qualitative data is helpful for this cause, sub-grinds. The different sub-grinds are extensively presented the methodology primarily consists of quantitative research with examples of gameplay, their consequences, and related and qualitative interviews. grinds. A. Defining ”Grind” using the base definition of a grind, and different aspects that The definition of a grind from a dictionary without the make up a grind, to define sub-grinds. context of game design is ”hard, monotonous routine work” Sub-grinds are different types of grinds that can be found in [11]. A parallel can be drawn to that definition in games where games today. The term grind is used by often whenever grinds have been designed in such ways to extend games’ they feel like what they are doing is a grind. It is something length arbitrarily. Forcefully slowing games down to a halt, that people feel, and what exactly prompts that feeling is not making it a slog to play through those segments, hence why exclusive to MMORPGs as many may initially believe. Every some game designers call grinds lazy game design. sub-grind that has been identified and defined can all feel like That definition makes grinding in games sound inherently a grind. negative. However, as grinding has become an enjoyable The aspects that were used to identify the different sub- feature for some gamers, that definition does not wholly suit grinds were identified by extensive research and experience of the context of game design. engaging with grinds. All of the aspects affect a grind in one No definition of a grind in games was found during the way or another, and each of the sub-grinds inhabit a unique research process. Whatever feels like a grind to a is a set of aspects. The aspects are as follows: grind, and what feels like a grind to people differs from each 1) Repetetive gameplay other. Grinding, however, has been described synoptically in Does the sub-grind contain repeated sections of game- papers and articles that deal with grinding several times. play? A standard definition of grinding derived from the general 2) Variable and quantifiable outcome opinion on it could look like this: Does the sub-grind have a measurable and valuable ”The period in a game when the player’s ability outcome for the player? to progress is reduced to a few set options, and 3) Negotiable consequences everything else will not move them forward.” [3] Is the sub-grind prone to consequences in the game and This definition stems from RPGs where in some cases, the real life? player would run out of quests to do in their level range 4) Competitive and would be forced to grind to progress again. However, as Is the sub-grind for an increase in skill? grinds have evolved and taken on different forms depending 5) Low effort on the game, it does not suffice for all of them. Some grinds Can the sub-grind be done with minimal effort? do not necessarily hinder progress and can be done entirely 6) High effort optionally, and some can be bypassed by means other than Does the sub-grind sometimes require focus and precise grinding, such as paying. The definition also does not consider gameplay? that some games are a grind all of the time, and the game never 7) Mandatory has to ”slow down” to become one. Does the sub-grind have to be progressed to progress For that reason, this paper will be giving grinding a broader the game? definition to more accurately describe and define the different 8) Occurs in background types of grinds that stem from it. All grinds have the following Does the sub-grind progress in the background? things in common; having some repetitive gameplay and the 9) Monetized player in some way benefiting from the grind. Our new Is there a way to bypass the grind by monetary means definition is then: in the sub-grind? 10) Limited time grinds ”The act of performing repetitive tasks for your gain, Does the sub-grind contain time limits for their grind? such as a gameplay advantage from loot or cosmetic 11) RNG benefits from vanity items.” [12] Does the sub-grind require luck to be progressed? Grinding is sometimes forced upon the player like in the 12) Online first definition, but with the increase of grinding in online Is the sub-grind online? gaming, optional grinding is just as, if not more common, as mandatory grinding. The social aspect of showing off what 1) Sub-grind overview: The seven sub-grinds that can be one has worked for in online games is a big part of grinding found in various games today constitute a grind as per the base today [1]. definition, but have different characteristics that differentiate them from each other. B. Defining the Sub-Grinds 1) The MMORPG Grind The definition of a grind found during this research is very This is one of the most common grinds and is most broad and can be applied to many games. Grinds however, can frequently found in MMORPGs, but it exists in games play out very differently from each other depending on the outside the genre as well. It is the grind where players game. What differs a grind from another, may be the reason have to grind mobs to level up to continue questing or for grinding, how the gameplay is, and what the consequences optionally grind quests/missions for rare loot. are. To narrow down what grind is what, this paper will be Repetitive Variable and Negotiable Low High Occurs in Limited RNG Grinds — Aspects Competitive Mandatory Monetized Online gameplay quantifiable outcome consequences effort effort background time grinds (Luck) The MMO Grind X X X X X X X X X X The Ladder Grind X X X X X X X The Background Grind X X X X X X The Gacha Grind X X X X X X X X X The Social Game Grind X X X X X X X X The Incremental Game Grind X X X X X X The Lone Grind X X X X X X X TABLE I: Table of the sub-grinds and their varying aspects

2) The Ladder Grind C. The MMORPG Grind This is the grind found in competitive games with ranked 1) Overview: This is one of the most common grinds and leaderboards. It is the grind for competitive players that is most frequently found in MMORPGs, but it exists in games play several ranked games a day to improve their skill outside the genre. It is the grind where players have to grind and climb the ladder. It usually requires a long time mobs, e.g., to level up to continue questing, or optionally grind investment and dedication from the player. missions for rare loot. It only exists in online games and can 3) The Background Grind sometimes require high effort depending on the task at hand. These grinds are often not the main focus in a game or Time investment is usually high as players take their time to preventing one from making any progress. As they are get to the highest level, get the best equipment, and try to get optional, they do not alter the way one plays either but rare drops that require one to get lucky. The social aspect is instead something one progresses in the background. is a big part of this grind, as players spend much time getting However, when a player chooses to focus on progressing rare items to show off to others. one of these systems, it becomes a grind. 2) Examples: An example of the low effort and mandatory 4) The Gacha Grind part of the MMORPG Grind would be the level grind in Arguably one of the most malicious grinds, the Gacha ””. This part of the game where the player Grind can be found in primarily Japanese mobile games. grinds quests for experience is known to the player base as The grind focuses primarily on grinding resources to questing. The questing in ”World of Warcraft” is mostly a low progress the game and to pull for rare characters, much difficulty grind that can be done mindlessly if it is not one’s like gambling. Almost all of the highest-grossing mobile first time through it. Quests are usually received from an NPC, games in Japan have this grind, and the games them- then the player does the as instructed and is rewarded selves are popular all over the world. with experience points or items. 5) The Social Game Grind Social-network games commonly found on Facebook, such as ”FarmVille”, often have grinds that require the player to repeatedly return daily to farm and cultivate crops and recruit other friends to play the game. This is the most casual and accessible grind in games as it has plenty of scaffolding for the player to understand the tasks laid out for them and how to progress. 6) The Incremental Game Grind Games with this grind often belong to a genre known as clicker, idle or incremental games. What makes this grind category unique is that the grind is the most, if not all, of the game. Most of these games consist of the simple action of pressing something in the game to gain currency, and with that currency, one can afford Fig. 1: NPC giving a quest in ”World of Warcraft” 8.1.5 upgrades [13]. 7) The Lone Grind When it comes to MMORPGs where there are hundreds if These are the grinds found in single-player-only games. not thousands of quests, it is often easy to start seeing a pattern Most of the games with grinds feature an online compo- in them for each area, such as killing x amount of y creature nent, which affects the grind in different ways. Single- or retrieving a specific item to an NPC in some city, and so player grinds are some of the oldest grinds and are very on [14]. Once the player finds a routine, it further allows for common in JRPGs. low effort play. An example of the high effort optional part of the MMORPG Grind can be found in the endgame of ” III”, where players grind dungeons in increasingly greater dif- ficulties to farm monsters for rare armor set pieces. This grind can be easy and low effort until one reaches a difficulty where players, while in single-player grinds, the reward is usually a small mistake will kill the player. Players are incentivized to only for oneself. play at a higher difficulty to increase the chances of obtaining There are few cases where grinds like this are monetized rare loot. This is one way of decreasing the grind while also and can be similar to the Gacha Grind, but they are not as making gameplay more engaging. This grind can be found in severe and prevalent in the more notable titles with this grind MMORPGs such as ”World of Warcraft” and non-MMORPG compared to gacha games. The monetization also only usually games like ”Diablo III” or ”The Division”. occurs in free-to-play games. 3) Gameplay: The gameplay of this grind can be both D. The Ladder Grind high or low effort, depending on the task. This grind usually occurs because the game slows down and requires the player 1) Overview: This is the grind found in competitive games to be stronger to progress, or if the player is actively seeking with ranked ladders. It is the grind for competitive players something out like a rare vanity item. Mindlessly farming that play several ranked games a day to improve their skill and mobs to gain experience can be pretty low effort and is usually climb the ladder. This grind is different from traditional grinds done while enjoying different media simultaneously, such as a because it is being played as it would be even if one were stream or TV show [15]. There are high effort tasks, like doing not grinding. However, when there is a difference between raids that require precise movement and gameplay to complete. playing the game for fun and getting better, there is usually The progression of the mandatory grinds, such as leveling up, a grind involved in improving. It usually requires a long time is steady. However, for the optional grinding where the player investment and dedication from the player. wants a specific loot drop, it is highly dependant on RNG There is a great satisfaction for many players to know and (luck) and can take several attempts to make any progress. To feel that they are skilful at a game, which motivates them further incentivize grinding, some of these games will also to grind. This drive to get better can be met with greater employ time-limited events so that players will play more frustration compared to other grinds however, as getting better during that period than they usually would. is not as simple as leveling up a character. This grind is only in online games, so there is also a 2) Examples: ”” is a 5v5 MOBA (Mul- significant social aspect to it. Rushing to max level when a tiplayer Online Battle Arena) game and is one of the largest new expansion releases or showing off a rare mount are typical competitive games [17]. Players play thousands of matches reasons players grind. each season. Some play hundreds and climb well, and some 4) Consequences: Players may find themselves continu- can play a thousand and still be stuck at the same rank. ously making progress in a game like World of Warcraft, going Matches are usually 20 - 35 minutes long, and after a whole from quest to quest and leveling up and still not having any day of playing, one may be further down in the ladder fun. The grind can feel manipulative in a way, stringing the than where one started the day. The grind can be rough player along for their next reward. and addictive because the player wants to improve, but the progression is slow. ”He described the experience as though he was being tricked into playing, that he was “grinding” all the time. He kept on playing, but for some reason, had an internal struggle that pulled him forward without providing excitement or enjoyment.” [16] With popular online games like ”World of Warcraft”, players may join the subscription-based MMO, wondering what they are missing out on, only to be grinding for hours and not having fun at all. Grinds are described as dull and tedious often, and the sunk cost fallacy can lead people to invest more time into that because they have already reached a certain level and feel like they might as well go on. Fig. 2: The ranked ladder in ”League of Legends” for the 2020 MMORPG Grinds are often employed to keep players season around for a long time, but if the grind is too intensive, it can backfire, and instead of keeping players around for long, If you were for example Gold IV, you would have to climb they may become frustrated, quit, and never come back [16]. all the way through tiers III, II and I to get a chance to climb Appointed raids where the player has to show up at a spe- to Platinum IV, where you will also have to pass a promotions cific time to play can lead to real-life consequences depending test where you need to win three out of five matches to pass on the players’ prioritization and planning. or you will stay in Gold I [18]. If you have a certain rank 5) Relations: While similar to the Lone Grind, this differ- in mind where you want to end the season, the grind can get entiates itself by being online, as that impacts the players’ very long. reason and method of grinding. Players may feel motivated to ”Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” is a 5v5 grind in online games to show off their hard work to other where two teams compete as terrorists and counter-terrorists. It is split into rounds of attack or defense, and the team to This grind, the Lone Grind, and the Background Grind reach 16 rounds won first wins. This game has less visual are the few grinds where progress can be lost. In this grind, feedback on how close one is to reaching or demoting to a it means losing ranks; in the Background Grind, it can be rank, but the current rank is known. Like ”League of Legends” something like losing reputation with a faction, and in the and other competitive games, it can take hundreds of hours to Lone Grind, it can be losing experience at death. This grind, reach one’s goal if it is a high rank. however, is the most severe when it comes to losing progress. This is how the grind is for most other competitive games, such as ””, ”Hearthstone”, or ”Overwatch”. E. The Background Grind 3) Gameplay: This grind is not dull for most people 1) Overview: In games such as ”Fortnite”, ”Dota 2”, or because the gameplay has not slowed down compared to other ”Call of Duty”, there are progression systems called battle games – the same game is still being played, but the player passes, which are tiered systems that grant rewards at each is grinding it to get better. However, this grind can be more level. Battle passes exist in plenty of games, no matter the frustrating than any other grind, especially if the game in genre, and have been employed to counter loot boxes in some question is a team-based one. The grind can be tedious as instances. Battle passes are just an example of a background well if the climb is slow. grind, and there are more such as faction reputation in The grind is not mandatory, but the gameplay is very high MMORPGs. These grinds are often not the main focus in a effort because if one wants to progress the grind, they have to game or prevent you from making any progress. As they are focus and play well. It also sometimes has some time pressure, optional, they do not alter the way the game plays either but such as seasons where players may want to reach a certain rank are instead something that progresses in the background. before the season ends, causing them to play more during that However, when a player chooses to focus on progressing period. one of these systems, it becomes a grind. To efficiently Players engage in this grind for the sense of accomplishment progress, for example, a battle pass, they will have to alter of being good at the game. If one is excellent, they may even the way they play. The final tier of the battle pass is usually compete in it, and they also get bragging rights. The gameplay the most rewarding one, which is why a lot of players opt to of this grind depends significantly on which game it is as the grind for it. Furthermore, to reach the final tier of the battle different ranked games out there require different skills. pass, they will have to play more than usual. This is a grind 4) Consequences: This is one of the few grinds where because the player would never have reached the final reward one can lose progress if one is not playing well, making the if they did not choose to focus on the progression system, grind deviously longer and harder to get out of. Sometimes which is a grind. it is because of the lack of one’s skill, and sometimes it is 2) Examples: In games, several things can count as a out of one’s hands because of something like lag or trolling background grind as long as it does not hinder the game’s teammates. This can lead to immense frustration if one is very main progression and can be progressed without the player competitive and has poured an extensive amount of time into actively trying to do so. this grind. There have been instances of this leading to toxic While this background system can naturally progress with- behavior primarily in the game to other people that may lead out the player paying much attention to it, it usually never to a suspension or, even worse, leak out into one’s real life maxes out by itself. Rewards are granted at different levels of and affect objects or people around oneself. this grind, and usually, the most lucrative one is at the very There have been instances of this leading to toxic behaviour end. In the case of a battle pass, the player may want the primarily in the game to other people that may lead to a reward at the very end of it, which would require grinding in suspension or even worse leak out into ones real life and affect the shape of playing more matches than they usually would. objects or people around oneself. Take the reputation system from ”World of Warcraft” as an There are several recorded cases of players breaking periph- example, going back to a specific area to quest some more for erals in their vicinity after a bad ranked game and several more faction reputation. that no one sees. Some people argue that it is just a game and In ”World of Warcraft”, the player may gain or lose favor that no one should ever get this frustrated over it, while others with several different factions. Most of them are progressed by see it as something more. With the rise of , there is the player simply questing in an area representing that faction, a legitimacy to the latter as people build professional gaming but not to the highest level. If they want to achieve that, they or streaming careers out of playing competitive games. Some will most likely have to go out of their way and do repeatable may give up their real-life responsibilities to pursue one of reputation quests, turning it into an active grind. these careers and so that they can pour more time into this ”Fortnite” has two battle passes each season that reward grind and get better. players with various cosmetics and resources. One is free, and 5) Relations: This grind is very different from other grinds. one costs money to unlock but both progress while playing In a traditional sense, one could argue it is not a grind. games. These battle passes have become a common way to However, it is often described as a grind and shares common monetize games as a replacement for loot boxes, as they can elements of a grind, such as repetitive gameplay, having to get be seen as less gamble-like since all the unlockable items are better to progress, and being tedious at times to name a few. known immediately [19]. These grinds can be similar to an MMO Grind but dis- tinguish themselves by being more in the background and progressing without the player actively having to do something different. F. The Gacha Grind 1) Overview: The word ”Gacha” has Japanese origins from toy vending machines, where someone would pay money to get different prizes, similar to loot boxes. Games that are called gacha games all have the Gacha Grind, and they are called this because a core mechanic of the game is the gacha mechanic of trying one’s luck getting rare prizes. The method of trying one’s luck is usually a gacha pull, which is akin to something Fig. 3: Rewards from tiers of the free and premium battle pass like casino slot machines [21][22]. in ”Fortnite” Arguably one of the most malicious grinds, the Gacha Grind can be found in primarily Japanese mobile games. The grind focuses primarily on grinding resources to progress the game 3) Gameplay: The gameplay of this grind can be of low and pull for rare characters, much like gambling. These games and high effort, depending on the task at hand. A battle pass induce players to spend in-game currency to receive a random is most likely to be of high effort as the player will have to item or character, and once they are out of their in-game play games like they usually would; they might even have to currency they need to spend money to pull more. complete challenges. Players engage with this grind because of the numerous Battle passes usually only reward the player with cosmetics, addiction mechanics it employs, the game may feel satisfying and the best reward is in the last tier, which is why people and fun to the player, to draw them in. The grind can be any sometimes end up grinding for them. They often have a timer genre of a game, and depending on the genre it is either low on them, making it a stress factor to complete the battle pass or high effort. However, these grinds are nearly always a long in time, especially with the premium battle pass, as one would time investment. want to get all of their money’s worth [19]. 2) Examples: Usually, to level up and get stronger in gacha Grinding reputation in a game like ”World of Warcraft” is games, playing it casually and fighting enemies is not enough; relatively low effort and is one of the more tedious grinds. one will also need to gather many items and resources to level Players grind it to unlock unique benefits and rewards related up. Almost everything in a gacha game is a grind in some to the faction, such as banners and mounts. way or another. For each character and equipment, one will 4) Consequences: Players may find themselves tempted to usually have to grind resources specific to each one. Spending buy the premium battle pass for better rewards. The premium all those resources and time is something one starts to realize battle pass progresses along with the free battle pass even if it is not worth it on low-tier characters, as the grind to get those is not bought, so which rewards the player would be earning resources is long and tedious. is always visible. If it is purchased, all those rewards from So then, instead, players feel even more incentivized to try previous tiers would be gained, making the purchase more their luck pulling a 5-star character. This will usually take lucrative with playtime. several pulls and perhaps a purchase of a gacha game’s usual However, even if one does purchase the premium battle pass, ”Starting Bundle”, which are bundles of resources and in-game it is not guaranteed that one will get all the rewards it offers, currency for a lower price only available once. This is very as it may be a rough grind to get to the last tier. Many games much bait and how many future addicts first dip their toes into then offer boosts or ways to skip tiers as the gacha addiction. [20]. The severity of the grind depends on the players’ greed Here is an example from ”Genshin Impact” on how almost for the rewards at the end of it. everything in gacha is a grind: As well as the fact that battle passes are only active during In ”Genshin Impact”, players may freely level up their a specific time, in fear of missing rewards it might cause characters until level 20. Unlike most games, players cannot players to play more than they should, possibly ignoring other level up by repetitively hunting monsters; they will have to use responsibilities. an item that grants the character experience. These items are These consequences, however, are only relevant to the given to players several times throughout the early and mid- player if they are invested in the battle pass as a grind. game, much like other resources. Then once they are level 20, 5) Relations: Few grinds operate in the background, and they will have to ”ascend” their character to increase their level the only related one would be the Incremental Grind. Like this cap. To do this, they will first need to be a certain Adventure grind, incremental grinds do not have to be the focal point of Level, a separate experience bar that progresses as one does the gameplay to progress, as those grinds can be progressed quests or discovers things in the world. That, too, progresses while the game is closed. smoothly early until one runs out of quests and things to Gacha games are in many ways synonymous with gambling [23]. There are items and characters of several different rarities, usually rated from 1 to 5 stars. The more one plays the game, the more they want the best characters to make the gameplay considerably more effortless and satisfying. Getting these high-ranked characters usually requires an extensive amount of gacha pulls as they are exceedingly rare. This type of grind usually requires considerably active playing, as there are many different tasks one can set out to do. It also usually requires the player to be attentive each day, as some items can only be obtained on certain days. Fig. 4: The results of a 10-pull in ”Genshin Impact” 4) Consequences: This is arguably the most malicious grind, as the gacha game pulls many psychological tricks to take advantage of the player. It does not help that almost all explore, halting the progression to a grind. So once they are of of the highest-grossing mobile games in Japan use it, and the adequate adventure level and their character is level 20, one games themselves are popular all over the world. may ascend it, given that they have the required resources. These games use several different tricks to incite the player These resources vary for each character and are usually harder to spend their money, from requiring a lot of their time to ma- to find. There are four different items; for example, one can nipulating their resource income, using addiction mechanics, be dropped from a or flowers found at a specific time of having limited time rewards and deals, and much more. day. In ”Genshin Impact”, sometimes, to collect rewards, one These grinds attract the whales [24], which is needs to spend resin. Players are granted 120 Resin each day. a term to describe the tiny amount of users that sink the most If players kill a boss, they will have to spend resin to get the money into these games. Even though whales may make up rewards, and once the resin is out, they can no longer get the about 2% of the player base, they are responsible for up to rewards unless they spend the premium currency to refill it. 50% or more revenue. The price for refilling resin increases for each refill and forces One does not have to be rich to fall into the trap of one to spend more money to keep grinding or wait a day to becoming a whale; many whales thought they would never grind more. Finite flowers in the world that may be needed be one themselves. will also not respawn until a day or two passes, which is one of the many ways this game makes the player log in daily to ”Even after reading the horror stories of would- play efficiently. be whales, I didn’t think I would fall into the All that to ascend one character, once, and it is just the same trap. But by month five of job hunting I was tip of the iceberg. The character will need suitable equipment pretty desperate for any source of gratification. I was that needs to be leveled, and parties need four characters. It frustrated, scared, and felt completely out of control is usually just one set of tasks for the player after another, of my own life. I needed a win, and for some reason each time one is completed; they are granted some satisfaction. I thought ”Fate/Grand Order” would give it to me.” Since there are so many things players can choose to do, and [25] each task is not too time-consuming, it can lessen the feeling of a grind but remain rewarding. Much like gamblers, two fundamental logical fallacies afflict whales and even players to an extent. The sunk cost fallacy The Gacha Grind is not hard to identify and can easily be is when one continues a losing investment because they do enticing. This type of grind is in popular mobile games like not want the resources they have spent to go to waste. The ”Genshin Impact”, ”Fire Emblem: Heroes”, and ”Fate/Grand gambler’s fallacy is the mistaken belief that if a coin is flipped Order”. the same way several times in a row, it will be more likely to 3) Gameplay: Most of these games are free-to-play mobile land the other way the next flip. games and come in different genres. Depending on the genre, the actual core gameplay can be pretty standard to the genre; Gacha games are aware of this, and with their grind and it could be a tactical RPG, idle-game, or trading card game. the casino-like pulling system, they hunt for whales, so one What sets out the gameplay of a gacha version of these genres should make sure if they are going to play a gacha game that is the constant pulling and grinding to progress the game. they do not stray too far from the shallow waters. To get players hooked, slowly but surely, the games reel 5) Relations: It has plenty of similarities to the Social the player in by giving them plenty of rewards, making them Game Grind, but the Gacha Grind has a vastly different target believe that they never have to spend a penny to get or do audience and usually a bit more high effort gameplay. Mobile whatever they want in this game. The game controls players’ game whales are also present in social games, but gacha games income of resources and currency and eventually strangles it have heavier monetization and gambling aspects that are not until they give in and spend money. present in social games. G. The Social Game Grind 3) Gameplay: The ”FarmVille” gameplay formula de- 1) Overview: Social-network games commonly found on scribed in the former section has been replicated for many Facebook, such as ”FarmVille”, often have grinds that require similar games with this grind, just with different themes. As the player to repeatedly return daily to farm and cultivate the genre has progressed, however, there have been games with crops and recruit other friends to play the game. This is the more depth and tactical aspects, such as ”Clash of Clans”, most casual and accessible grind in games as it has plenty where players can manage a clan and or defend clans. of scaffolding for the player to understand the tasks laid out All of the games with this grind have many things in for them and how to progress. Since this is the most casual common such as that they are casual games, meaning that gamer-friendly grind, the games cater to a different audience they are accessible and readily available by being free and than most other grinds. The average age of a social gamer is playable on browser or mobile. 43 [26]. A massive part of social games is the social aspect. When 2) Examples: One of the most prominent and early social people start playing these games on Facebook, they were games is ”FarmVille”. This game was about growing and likely invited by someone else. Friends can usually visit each tending to your farm by expanding it through constructing other and see how they are doing, making it that much more new buildings, inviting friends that become neighbours, and rewarding and essential for some to progress and have robust, cultivating crops. desirable-looking clans or farms. 4) Consequences: Advertisers are very fond of social The game draws players into rituals of checking in every day games as they are often played by a younger audience, who to make sure crops will not wither and die. If a player needs are less critical of advertisements in their games [30]. help, they can spend money or invite more friends to the game Invites from people who are playing social games can be [27]. The game’s grind was so tedious that it was described very tedious as if one does not join or care about the game, as barely a game while at the same time being irresistible. they will still see invites sent to them repeatedly on Facebook. ”The most addictive of Facebook games is hardly 5) Relations: Social games have a lot in common with even a game — it’s more a series of mindless chores gacha games, such as that they are primarily mobile, casual, on a digital farm (...) ” [28] and free to play, with plenty of monetization. Gacha games differ by usually having a bit more high input gameplay and more gamble-like monetization. They also originate from different parts of the world, making the games stylistically very different. H. The Incremental Game Grind 1) Overview: Games with this grind often belong to a genre known as clicker, idle or incremental games. These games gained popularity in 2013 after the success of ”Cookie Clicker”. What makes this grind category unique is that the grind is most if not all of the game. Most of these games consist of the simple action of pressing something in the game to gain currency. Players keep clicking it until they can afford upgrades [13]. Upgrades can make their clicks gain even more currency or build farms that generate income automatically, Fig. 5: Screenshot of ”FarmVille” farm making it obsolete to play, hence ”idle game”. This grind can be very satisfying to players, which is why The gameplay requires little effort and has many timers that this genre came to be and has grown several different titles the player either has to pay to bypass or log back on later to other than ”Cookie Clicker”. ”claim” to maximize efficiency. These timers could be on, 2) Examples: In ”Cookie Clicker”, the goal is to generate for example, when constructing a building or when growing as many cookies as possible. This can be done by clicking crops. There is an obligation to log back in at specific times the big cookie icon to bake a cookie. Eventually, with those and harvest a crop because they will wither if not harvested cookies, one can buy upgrades that increase the number of within a specific time of becoming ripe [8]. cookies they generate with clicks and automatically generate The game has no win condition or end goal and lives on cookies [31]. by having its players refer friends to play the game to get There is no explicit end goal, and the grind of generating more resources for their grind [29]. It is monetized and heavily cookies keeps going even when the game is closed, as long incentivizes players to return at regular intervals for gameplay as there are upgrades that generate cookies by themselves. benefits. However, when 1 trillion cookies is reached, the player may This grind is usually found on browser and mobile games ascend. Ascending resets the game and grants them heavenly such as ”Farmville”, ”Clash of Clans”, and ” Wars”. cookies that are used for special upgrades. These upgrades games where players have to play repeatedly to increase proficiency belong to this sub-grind as well. This grind is sometimes forced upon players in order to progress, but sometimes it is also just immensely satisfying to be skillful at a game. 2) Examples: The Lone Grind is one of the broader sub- grinds, as it encapsulates all single-player grinds. This is because the majority of games today with grinds feature an online component. Grinds in ”Final Fantasy” games and other JRPGs often need to grind random encounters to level up before a boss or Fig. 6: Screenshot of ”Cookie Clicker” v.2.002. a new challenging area. There are side grinds, such as fishing, where the player could spend an extensive amount of time capturing fish in different ponds in the games. are the only thing that is persistent between ascensions. The grind is never-ending but also satisfying. There is a constant progression and increase of cookies generated per second. Examples of games with this grind are ”Clicker Heroes”, ””, and ”AdVenture Capitalist”. 3) Gameplay: The cookie clicker gameplay formula has been adapted for many other incremental games with different themes. Everything from clicking, upgrades, automatic farm- ing, ascending, and upgrades between ascensions are features one can expect in nearly all incremental games. These games are often straightforward and low input gameplay-wise. They can keep progressing even while they are closed and without clicking eventually. There is usually a constant grind of generating a specific resource that is then spent to increase the resource gain further. The fun factor may lie in reaching the next upgrade and the satisfaction of seeing one’s numbers go up. Fig. 7: combat in Final Fantasy IV When all upgrades have been purchased and the game comes to a standstill, players often unlock an option to reset Being a completionist means sometimes having to replay a and gain a new form of currency along with the usual one. game several times to unlock all the achievements, making it a The grind goes on [32]. grind as it implies mindlessness or a routine. ”Dark ”, for Despite grinds being commonly argued to be boring or example, has several achievements that are dedicated to getting tedious, these games found a solid foothold in the industry, every item in every category, which will sometimes require giving grinds more value than just a tedious game design multiple playthroughs. Sometimes luck, as well as some items, choice. are only dropped by chance from certain enemies. 4) Consequences: This grind is relatively inconsequential Some people dislike grinds in their single-player game, but and casual. Most people look at it for brief moments to some actively seek them out as a way to unwind from a day of purchase upgrades then let it generate resources until they can hard work [33]. Examples of that are ”Harvest Moon”, ”An- afford the next. imal Crossing”, or ”Stardew Valley”, where players immerse It does have microtransactions that can increase resource themselves as farmers or villagers in a small area where they gain, for example, which would kind of defeat the purpose of raise and sell crops and get to know the locals. The gameplay the whole game. can get quite the grind to make progress, but there is something 5) Relations: This grind is quite unlike any other grind, comforting to these games for many people. as this grind is almost the entirety of the game. Like the This grind usually requires relatively low effort and exists to Lone Grind, however, it rarely has consequences for the player satisfy a gamer’s completionist itch and get more hours out of outside of small microtransactions. a game. It can be found in ”Final Fantasy”, ”Stardew Valley”, and ”Pokemon”,´ for example. I. The Lone Grind 3) Gameplay: The most common occurrence of this grind 1) Overview: The Lone Grind represents the grinds that are is in JRPG games, where the grind usually is to grind monsters found in single-player games. The grind gameplay depends to gain experience to level up. This is a pretty low effort grind significantly on the game, but single-player grinds are often that can be considered quite outdated game design as it is not found in RPGs, especially JRPGs. Rogue-like and rhythm as prevalent in modern games. If the player chooses to, it can make the entire game a breeze as they can become entirely J. Interview Results over-leveled if not appropriately balanced. The interviews were conducted with six anonymous volun- There is often nothing stopping a player from abusing one teers who felt they had engaged with a grind. They were done of these grinds except the player getting too bored or not remotely, one-on-one, in 3 - 7 minutes. feeling like spending all the time required to do so. Some Grinds in video games lack a common definition. Many games implement a level cap, reduce experience gain, or stop participants were unsure if they were fit to be interviewed as monsters to prevent this. they were not sure if they had ”grinded”. Therefore it is vital Rogue-like and rhythm games can be notoriously tricky to ask them what they think a grind is. games to master, and therefore requires a grind to improve Question: How would you describe a grind? one’s skill. For example, if one wants to master a challenging ”When you play a game towards a goal, either to song in ”Guitar Hero”, one would most likely have to practice get better or find new items. Mostly to get better.” the same level several times, effectively creating a grind. The -Interviewee 1 Lone Grind, in these instances, is high effort and the time ”When you do a repetitive task over and over, to required to accomplish one’s goal depends significantly on the reach a goal in a game. It can be different reasons player. why, like progressing the game or getting stronger.” 4) Consequences: Sometimes in single-player games, the -Interviewee 2 player does not feel like engaging in the grind and wants to be ”When you sit down and play very frequently. In wholly overpowered immediately; that is usually where cheat ”Diablo III” for example you do bounties for mate- codes come in. Recently, however, studios have been replacing rials, rifts for gear, and get keys to do greater rifts. that option with microtransactions. You grind to get your character as strong as possible, so you have to put down a lot of time.” “With giving people the ability to purchase Red -Interviewee 4 Orbs, it’s something we want to give people as an ”Hard work for a big reward.” option. If they want to save time and just want to -Interviewee 5 get all the stuff at once, those people can do that.” ”When you have to do the same or very similar thing [34] over and over to achieve a goal.” Red Orbs in ”Devil May Cry 5” are used to purchase moves, -Interviewee 6 weapons, upgrades, and consumable items. Cheat codes used A common theme in the answers is that a grind is described to be a part of video games to give people just that option, as doing a task with a goal or reward in mind. The task takes but in this instance, the player has to pay for that instead. To time, as it has to be done repetitively or is challenging. counteract this, some gamers have turned to making their own Players’ perception of a grind depends significantly on the cheat engines by tweaking game files and values, which works game, so finding out which games and grinds they engage in but can also potentially bug or break a game. is essential. Question: In what games have you grinded, and how Grinds like these are usually not malicious, most of them did you do it? are optional, but some are monetized. Games like ”Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” will offer microtransactions that boost stats ”I’ve grinded in a lot of card games, such as or experience gain [35]. While some may dismiss these as ”Hearthstone” or ”Slay the Spire”. And lately a lot optional microtransactions, the fact that they exist most likely of ”Path of Exile”. I like it when grinding that you’re affects how long or tedious the grind is in the game to incen- constantly working towards something that improves tivize players to buy them. Unfortunately, erasing cheat codes you, and I find it relaxing. I find it relaxing to know and replacing them with microtransactions is an increasingly that you have something you’re working towards common business tactic from larger studios. while grinding.” -Interviewee 1 Microtransactions in a single-player game can alter the ”There’s a lot of games. First things that come to game to become a worse product by tarnishing the initially mind are ranked games such as League of Legends intended game progression. Grinds that solely exist to justify or Rocket League. I grinded a bit in The Division microtransactions and require players to pay to do what they as well, and World of Warcraft with the item level. want are a byproduct of shoved in microtransactions. In all the ranked games it becomes a grind to climb, 5) Relations: The Lone Grind found in RPGs is very grinding MMR (Matchmaking Rating), by playing similar gameplay-wise to the one of the MMORPG Grind. The over and over. In the Division to get stronger you massive difference is the online aspect which is a massive deal have to get better gear, which gets grindy because for why people grind and how they do it. it’s often about doing the same thing over and over The Lone Grind is similar to the Ladder Grind in some again. There’s only a certain chance you get what cases as well in that the grind can be about becoming better you want. It’s like that in ”World of Warcraft” as at a game. well.” -Interviewee 2 -Interviewee 4 ”I have mostly grinded in ”Diablo III” by playing ”It is hard while grinding but when you achieve your greater rifts so that my character gets stronger. I goal it is a great reward.” don’t grind for leaderboards however, which a lot -Interviewee 5 of people do.” ”I am really addicted to it. I feel like the majority of -Interviewee 3 the games I play are grinding games. I find grinds in ””Diablo III”, I do bounties and greater rifts over games that are not even made with grinds in mind. and over. The goal is to get on the leaderboards by (...) ” getting a good time in the greater rifts.” -Interviewee 6 -Interviewee 4 These answers are very telling as to why grinding is ”I have grinded for ranked rating in ”Rocket considered a controversial matter. Some hate it, while others League”, and gold in ”World of Warcraft”. It re- seek it out. We can say that grinds are not inherently wrong quires a lot of time and improvement. For example from these answers, but they also have their place. Grinds in ”Rocket League” it is all of the games I play that should not be in single-player games that focus on telling a net me plus or minus in my rating.” story, and they should complement the player’s progression -Interviewee 5 instead of hinder it. Question: How do you feel about grinding? Grinds seem to have a more positive response in multiplayer ”It fits some games, I like it in some, but in others games, as doing these routines alone is too monotonous, and it goes completely against what I want to do in the players can share their progress with others. However, even game. In one of the latest ”Assassin’s Creed” games then, it still seems some people feel conflicted about their for example I had to grind side missions because stance on grinds as if they are unsure if they enjoy it. Therefore my character became to weak to do the main story. it is crucial to find out what it is that players enjoy with grinds. It completely went against what I wanted to, I only Question: What is it that makes a grind fun or boring wanted to experience the story, that’s what the game for you? was to me. (...) ”In many of the card games I have played the But there are some games where the grind is the fun grinding is fun because I feel like I am getting part. Like in ”Slay the Spire”, one of the games I better and because of that achieving more goals such have played the most. The whole thing for me in as increasing ascension levels. In ”Path of Exile” that is to grind ascension levels, that is why I think especially it is a very nice feeling when you get a it is fun. rare item that you grinded for.” So I would say I like grinding in some games, when -Interviewee 1 you are ready for it. When you start adding grinds ”The reason I think grinds are okay is because they to games that are focused on story, it often does not make games longer, you do not run out of things to work out. ” do. In ”The Division” or ”World of Warcraft” and -Interviewee 1 such there is always a reason to play, whether it is ”I have some conflicting thoughts here actually. I leveling up or getting better gear. It increases games’ can thing that it is okay if it is not the primary lifespan. However, when there is no difference in focus of the game. For example in ”The Division” I playing and grinding the game, then it is boring to would say the primary focus is the combat, the grind me. A good grind is when I feel like it is not the progression is just a side effect of that. Something same thing the whole time.” that just happens. I think that is okay. (...) -Interviewee 2 It is like that with ”League of Legends” and ”Rocket ”The fun part is seeing your progress, starting from League” as well, it does not have to be the main level 0 to max level and then onto paragon levels. focus. Meanwhile in ”Cookie Clicker” it is like the Getting better gear so that you can do higher diffi- primary mechanic to grind.” culties and reach the leaderboards. That is the fun -Interviewee 2 part, realizing, damn, I am starting to get some good ”To be honest I hate it. Not all grinding, with friends gear here, accumulating a lot of damage and can do it can be fun but if you are alone it gets boring after harder rifts.” a while, which is what I hate.” -Interviewee 4 -Interviewee 3 ”Grinding is a monotonous thing, it is often some- ”Tough question. It is fun with someone else, if you thing you do over and over. Not always though, in are alone it gets very monotonous. It gets boring ”World of Warcraft” you can do a lot of different quick to do it alone. It is fun but at the same it is things to grind gold, but it is in some way still the boring. (...) Watching a movie, YouTube or listening same thing. It is monotonous which makes it boring to music can help when playing alone.” to me.” -Interviewee 5 ”Yes, both. I have quit a game because I got tired ”It is fun when it does not take too long to feel of the grind and I can start the same game because progress. The grind has to be on the right level. I feel like grinding. ”Diablo” has mastered that in my opinion, it still I like it when there is something to grind for, because takes a while to reach your goal but there are a lot that means it is not something that everyone has of small rewards that always push you forward. In ” immediately. If everyone can have it easily, it does ” for example it takes an extremely long not feel special, there is no personal gain. If I grinded time to make progress, it is not for me.” for it, then I fought for it, which makes it more fun -Interviewee 6 as I succeeded in something. You could call ”Counter-Strike” a grind as well, it The most praised aspect of grinds is the feeling of progress. is fun to grind the ladder, try to get up in rank. I It is what anyone pursuing a grind wants to feel. Whether that like being higher rank than average.” progress comes in the form of items for one’s character or -Interviewee 6 skill in card games, it is what makes grinds worth the time. From the answers, it is clear to tell that grinds can both That progression needs a delicate balance, and if it takes make or break a game. This makes grinds a serious matter to too long to achieve anything, players may lose interest and consider when developing games. Designers should consider get bored. their grinds to have a balanced level of progression, with the Some players appreciate that grinds make games longer, but greatest reward at the end. If the grind is too monotonous for some, it just makes them more monotonous. and slow, it will become too tedious for some players, and The last question is to narrow down where players feel they might quit. If designed excellently, players may even start grinds are too much and quit and find out if players have playing the game because of the grind. started playing games because of their grinds. Grinds are more prevalent in online games as well, and Question: Have you ever quit or started playing a game if they are implemented in those, developers should consider because of its grind? ways the grind can affect players around them. Grinds should not be implemented in online games if they do not take ”Part of the reason I begun playing ”Path of Exile” advantage of the fact that it is online. was for the grind that you can invest a lot of time into. (...) IV. ANALYSIS I did quit ”Assassin’s Creed” because of the grind. I A. How Grinding Became Popular only wanted to the story but all of a sudden the story was too hard, because the developers had made it so Grinds used to only exist in single-player games, but as you had to do side content for hours, which I did online games became more common, it became apparent that not want to. So I quit there.” grinding fit online games better. It helps with player retention -Interviewee 1 and gives people another motive to keep playing. An dies without its playerbase, but a single-player game ”(...) ”Diablo III”, I play that for the grind. I just does not. If a story or experience captivated one well enough, think it is cool to compete against others on greater they may remember that and go back to it years later, while rifts. It becomes a competition against others on who online games usually become a product of their time. can grind to beat greater rifts the fastest. You could say I think online grinds are fun, while offline grinds In multiplayer games as well, progress is usually always are boring.” retained, such as characters or profiles. If a single-player game -Interviewee 2 has a grind and if one wants to replay it to experience it all over, one will also have to go through the grind again, which ”I quit playing ”Destiny 2” because you had to grind. may have been tedious enough the first time through, even Compared to ”Diablo” it took too long and it was worse, doing it again. not as varied. 1) Online gaming: In the ’90s, the gaming industry saw If you are going to do grinds you should look at the release of several MMORPGs such as ””, ”Ev- what ”Diablo” did. You get a ton of things while erQuest”, and ”Asheron’s Call”. These titles heavily featured you play, especially at the hardest difficulty. It feels grinding to progress and get stronger, but players had another rewarding. ”Destiny” does not feel as rewarding motivation to grind as well, the social aspect. Players were because you can play it for a whole day without encouraged to grind to show off their gear, skills, and power. much progression.” It was not uncommon to see players walking around populated -Interviewee 3 towns with their rare equipment to make others seethe in envy, ”Yes, I have quit playing games because I have making grinding that much more satisfying than single-player gotten tired of doing the same thing over and over games [1]. when I grind.” That was grinds in MMORPGs back in the ’90s, but more -Interviewee 5 modern MMORPGs today, like ”World of Warcraft”, still have the same social aspects in play, and they are a big reason for and some thought they had to be executed in a certain way to the game’s longevity. be good. It is no longer as simple as grinds are bad design, as grinds can be designed excellently and attract and maintain B. Interview results vs. Research results players for a long time. 1) Grind definition: The only requirement to be interviewed was to have felt they had grinded in a game at some point. C. How Grinds Play the Player During the process of finding volunteers to interview, several There are numerous psychological aspects to grinding. people were confused if they qualify to be interviewed as they Some of the most obvious ones would be the addiction were not sure if they had done that. mechanics games tend to use [36]. Unlocking achievements This increases validity to the concern of grinds in games not or getting better gear, seeing one’s numbers go up can drive having a proper definition. People are unsure of what counts players to keep playing much more than they ever intended. as one. However, for this interview, people only needed to feel There are things to be mindful of when engaging with a grind, as if they had been in a grind. and if one is not aware of it, it is much harder to break out People were asked to describe what a grind was, and the of a grind. overwhelming response was doing something for a goal. This 1) Pay-to-Win grinds: The grind in a game like ”World of usually took a long time or was hard. Moreover, the goal was Warcraft” or ”Diablo III” differs significantly from the grind either a reward or getting better at the game. This description of a free game such as ”Clash of Clans” or ”FarmVille”. The of a grind has a lot in common with the definition that was grinds in the free games are much more tedious and require reached during the research process: more hours to get anything done to drive players to pay to ”The act of performing repetitive tasks for your gain, skip the grind. Moreover, grinding will never get the player such as a gameplay advantage from loot or cosmetic farther than if they decided to pay [1]. benefits from vanity items.” [12] 2) Sunk cost fallacy: Free-to-play games usually have mas- 2) Sub-grinds: Not everyone may agree that some of the sive in-games stores that encourage spending to save the player identified sub-grinds from the initial research process are ac- some time. Players who choose not to spend any money are tual grinds. However, some of the interviewees were engaged usually met with progressions systems built upon repetitive in grinds identified, strengthening the initial research results. and tedious tasks. These grinds are usually deliberately and Interviewee 1 mentioned playing ”Slay the Spire” and carefully designed to leverage the sunk cost fallacy. grinding it to get better, which fits the Lone Grind. The Lone The sunk cost fallacy is used to describe the tendency of Grind describes that it can be found in rogue-like games that someone to keep spending on something due to already having take a while to master, such as ”Slay the Spire”. done it before, hence the sunk cost. The goal of most free- Several interviewees mentioned grinding ranked ladders to-play games, including gacha games, is to get the player such as ”Rocket League”, ”League of Legends”, or ”Counter- to spend money once, as it usually keeps the player playing Strike”, which fits into the Ladder Grind. the game, and makes it easier for them to make continuous During the interviews, one of the most mentioned games purchases down the line [6]. was ”Diablo III”, which fits into the MMORPG Grind. Players This is a common addiction mechanic, which is why first- mentioned grinding for items and competing or co-operating time offers are so common in free games, especially in gacha with or against others while grinding. Online grinds were games. greatly favored over offline ones, strengthening the theory that The sunk cost fallacy does not only apply to the money a grinds are increasing in popularity with online play. player sinks into a game, time as well. That is why grinds 3) How players perceive grinds: During the initial hypoth- go hand-in-hand with the sunk cost fallacy, as grinds can esis of this paper, it was theorized that there has to be more require several hours of what feels like work out of a player to grinds than that they are just dull and tedious. This was to progress, and giving up that work is hard. partly because grinds are getting far more common in games 3) Limited time events: Limited time events can be a fun and have launched a genre that consists only of grinding. The element to online games as they may spice things up every definition of a grind outside the context of gaming is ”hard, now and then. They are, however, sometimes only good for monotonous routine work”, which is not accurate to grinds in the game and not the player. games. Limited time events often have rewards exclusive to them. There are plenty of game designers and players that called In some cases, this can lead to players being pressured to grinds lazy game design that only existed to extend game grind even if they do not feel like it, because they do not length arbitrarily, but it has evolved far past that at this point. want to miss out on ”never to be seen again” cosmetics and Grinds, just like any other aspect of a game, can be executed items. An example of this is one of the multiple collaborative well or poorly. It depends on several factors, e.g., the game, events ”Fortnite” has, where there are items that players can how big the grind is, and how rewarding it is. only unlock during that period. Games making players fit their The results of the interviewees support this theory, as several schedule to suit them is ultimately bad [37]. They only reward of them were conflicted on how to feel about grinds. Many of the most dedicated players and if you want to get in on it, you them only thought they were appropriate for specific games, will have to start spending more time. D. How Grinds are Made Enjoyable Single-player games can achieve similar satisfaction by having high score systems that players can show off. But in Grinds are enjoyed by many, some even seek them out and online games you can do much more than just show off one’s start playing games because of them. A good grind has to hard work. be valuable, satisfying, and meaningful to the player. For a designer to achieve that in their game, there are some key It can also be a relaxing way of hanging out with friends. aspects to consider. People bond over the menial tasks they are doing together and 1) Progression: Progression exists in every single game in rejoice with each other as they reach another milestone in their some form or another. It can take several shapes, it can be grind. seen in game in one’s account level, on a character in gear, or ”(...) Me and my friends have played for many hours. in one’s actual skill at the game. I made a friend by playing ”Diablo” with them, so Players seek out the feeling of progression as it is rewarding it gave it a bit of a sentimental value. It created a and motivating to play more. It may just be the most coveted friendship by grinding together, putting that much aspect of all of gaming. time on a game together.” Grinds are a progression system, every grind takes the -Interviewee 4 player from one point to another by the end of it. For the Grinds can also be competitive. In ”Diablo III”, people player to enjoy this progression however, the goal at the end compete to optimize their grind as well as possible, so that they of it has be something the player cares about. can achieve the best times in the hardest greater rifts. These ”Grinding feels bad when I’m forced into a specific rifts are challenging instances which require strong builds, goal that I don’t care about. Grinding feels good if making the character grind an important part of it. The times I know that my progress is going where I want to then get put on a leaderboard that resets each season. take it.” [3] ”(...) ”Diablo III”, I play that for the grind. I just If players are forced into a grind they never asked for, such think it is cool to compete against others on greater as a side content grind in a single-player RPG, they will lose rifts. It becomes a competition against others on who interest. can grind to beat greater rifts the fastest. You could Progress also has to be balanced. This can be achieved say I think online grinds are fun, while offline grinds in different ways. This can be achieved by e.g., having the are boring.” progression from level to level be at a decent pace, or giving -Interviewee 2 the player several rewards along the grind pushing them towards the end goal. Developers should consider having online components if they are going to implement a grind. Grinds are much more ”(...) as the player feels like progress is slowing welcomed in online settings and there are many ways to down, that’s when the concept of grinding stops increase the satisfaction of a grind in an online setting. That is being part of the enjoyment of the game, and starts not to say grinds are unwelcome in a single-player game. but to feel like work to keep going.” [3] comparatively to online games, there are less good use cases. ”It is fun when it does not take too long to feel 3) Relaxation: Many players find something relaxing about progress. The grind has to be on the right level. grinding in games. Grinds can often be done without much ”Diablo” has mastered that in my opinion, it still effort, allowing players to tune out from the stress of the takes a while to reach your goal but there are a lot real world and just slay monsters while listening to music of small rewards that always push you forward. (...) or watching a film. ” -Interviewee 6 ”(...) I find it relaxing to know that you have some- thing you’re working towards while grinding.” Developers have to finely tune the progression of their grind -Interviewee 1 to fit their respective games. If it is too slow it is at risk of becoming to monotonous and losing players. This can be Several games incorporate grinds as a way to let players counteracted by having several different ways for the player unwind and let them progress whatever they like. Games like to grind. ”Harvest Moon”, ”Stardew Valley” and ”Animal Crossing” are 2) Online: It is not coincidental that grinds grew in popu- all very grind heavy while relaxing. larity as online games became commonplace. For a grind to These games often have several grinds simultaneously, be enjoyable to a player, it is important the grind holds any letting players progress whatever they like and allowing them value and satisfaction to them. If the grind is pointless, there to be continuously rewarded for progressing any one of them. is no reason for anyone to invest time into it. In ”Stardew Valley” players can choose to spend their time Online play made a lot of grinds satisfying to people. Hav- cutting down trees, growing crops, getting to know villagers, ing equipment that others did not, and showing off one’s rare slay monsters or go fishing. There is nothing they have to do, armor to players in a town is sometimes the only motivation it is the players choice, and everything progresses the grind in players need to grind. one way or another. Not all grinds have to be relaxing, but designers should There are games where grinds are not appropriate. Games consider if it is appropriate for their game. If it is, players that are focused on telling a story should not have players should have the freedom to progress whatever they want. sidelined to do things that do not interest them. A story is 4) Optimization: Many players find great satisfaction in constantly progressing, it does not repeat certain parts repeat- min-maxing their grind which is a character-building strat- edly until it continues. Therefore it can be jarring to players egy of maximizing everything they desire while minimizing when they suddenly can not continue the main story because everything they deem unnecessary for their build. they have become too weak. This awkward implementation of It can also be about finding the most efficient ways of a grind will lead to a lot of players quitting the game. progressing the grind, such as finding ways to automate tasks ”(...) I did quit ”Assassin’s Creed” because of the like in ”Factorio”. grind. I only wanted to the story but all of a sudden ”When a game becomes grindy enough, I think the story was too hard, because the developers had there’s actually quite a lot of enjoyment out of opti- made it so you had to do side content for hours, mizing the grind. The gameplay is no longer about which I did not want to. So I quit there.” clicking “attack” or “gather”. The actual gameplay -Interviewee 1 is when you’re trying to find the best place where Some grinds are manifested by the nature of the game, and enemies spawn, and solve the puzzle of finding the not something the developer necessarily implement. In games optimal route between each spawn point.” [38] with skill expression, if players enjoy and care about the game, Some players up the ante, and develop bots that automate they will grind it to improve. There are things developers can tasks for them. This can make gameplay similar to the Incre- do to make this grind more enjoyable, such as making a ladder mental Game grind, in the way that the grind progresses even and ranking system. There will always be an appropriate grind while you are not playing. when it comes to competitive games. Developers should make use of grinds responsibly. Too ”(...) as a guy who has botted in quite a few games, much of it, and players will lose interest. If you have none, the game becomes a completely different thing, kind there may be nothing keeping players attached. It is a fine of like an adventurer manager simulator. I remember line to tread. Consider the seven sub-grinds and if they fit into back in the early 2000s I was running a legit botting one’s game, what would the consequences be? What would team on ”Ragnarok Online” using trial accounts for players grind for, what would be enjoyable? the 30 day period and then funneling my ill gotten gains to a main account through a few trial accounts ”Players only recognize and complain about grinds to cover my tracks. Every morning I was excited to when they are used irresponsibly. If a part of the wake up and check what my trial account slaves had game is slowly feeding the player new content at a picked up while I was sleeping.” [38] pace that’s fast enough to keep them interested, then they will appreciate the length of the game and also Developers should therefore consider to have different ways be excited about the new things that they’re learning. of progressing their grinds. This allows the player to explore Whether it’s clicking on stars, attacking boars, or multiple options, making a grind less monotonous. For ex- planting tomatoes, a well designed grind can be a ample, there can be a low effort method of progression, and useful way to keep players engaged.” [16] a higher difficulty method for increased drop rates, like in ”Diablo III”. V. DISCUSSION A. Sub-Grinds E. When Grinding is Appropriate In this paper it was concluded that there were seven sub- Grinding is not always appropriate for a game. One should grinds with distinctive characteristics that represent all of the consider the genre, the gameplay, and the goal of one’s game, different grinds one can find in games today. These seven sub- and how a grind would complement that. grinds were decided upon after considering several aspects that The most common and traditional usage of a grind is to affect grinds and questions such as ”What counts as a grind” extend a game’s length. MMORPGs and social-games often or ”Is this unique enough to be sub-grind of its own?”. It require players to be engaged for an extended period of time, was not planned that the paper was going to define sub-grinds so grinds in those games are usually unavoidable. Grinds are when the methodology was being decided, it was something appropriate in these games, but should still be balanced, if they that manifested during the research and became clearer with are too intense the grind may have the opposite effect. Players time. may quit a game if the grind is too tedious. If executed well Every grind that I could come up with through my research however, the grind will keep players engaged for a long time, and experience were listed in a table, with their aspects crossed and there will be a sense of never-ending things to do. in. After that it was easier to see correlations between different ”Grinding can be used carefully in a balanced man- grinds, which were similar and could be merged together, and ner. When a game needs to be extended, then adding which ones that were different and had to be on their own. The in a light grind can often be a good choice. (...)” [16] amount of research and experience I had gathered on grinds painted a very clear picture of what kinds of grinds existed in not be a significant grind to them, as it would not be the game games and which aspects that affect how they play. they keep playing. An example of sub-grinds I thought of merging into one Another method would be to observe players that grind, were the Gacha and Social Game Grind. They are very which could have been suitable for raw data on how, why similar aspects-wise, but have very different target audience, and how much people grind. The difficulties with this would gameplay, and consequences. Therefore I though it appropriate be finding participants who would not mind their gameplay to have them separate even if they a lot of aspects alike. This routine observed for hours and having that gameplay unaltered can be said to be a flaw of the aspects that were used to set because it is being observed for grinding. up and map the sub-grinds. The aspects do not encapsulate These methods could have deepened the result of the how the grinds actually play out in depth, nor do they fully research but most likely not be able to give as deep results encapsulate maliciousness. as the literary research did, such as how grinds are used An example of a sub-grind I have concerns about is the maliciously and how developers should use them. Lone Grind. It is the broadest sub-grind as it represents just about every grind in a single-player game, which includes non- D. Self-realization Kills the Monotonous Grind traditional grinds such as rhythm games and rogue-likes. I It seems to be a common trend for players engaged with would have liked to expand on this sub-grind further, perhaps grinds to succumb to them mindlessly. They are spending split it into two, as I feel like single-player games take a several hours maximizing their efficiency to feel like they are backseat in this paper often. But from what I could gather, progressing the grind. Some may wonder what the point is, most of the single-player grinds were near identical, aspects- and the truth is that some people grinding do not even know wise. Rhythm and arcade games where one plays repeatedly to themselves. improve oneself differentiate themselves by being competitive Some people reach a point in the grind where they start to a certain degree, as you get better and can compete against self-reflecting on what they are doing and if it is worth it. others. If games like these have an online component they ”I was asking myself why am I even playing? Most would belong to the Ladder Grind. of the gameplay is not actually that engaging, but B. Bias it was the constant progression and achievements (level up, finishing quests, getting more money) that One of the problems with talking about the concept of a was triggering the reward center in my brain and grind is the fact that everyone has a different threshold and enticing me to play more. opinion on when a game becomes a grind to play. Many After I realized I was taking bathroom breaks at parts of the grinding are debatable, even in this paper. This work so I could do a mundane/repetitive task to is because grinding is often chalked down to just a feeling a make money in the game (birdhouse runs), I seri- player experiences. ously questioned why I was playing the game, when This paper attempts to create as a neutral and straightfor- all the activities I was doing seemed like pointless, ward definition of grinding as possible to eliminate bias. Sub- boring grinding. So then, I quit cold turkey.” [38] grinds were culled and considered after specific criteria were For about two months, this user played ”Old School met. Some of the sub-grinds that have been listed may not feel RuneScape” when they stumbled upon a post that described like a grind to some people even then. If the grind exhibits the game as an achievement simulator, with no actual engaging the base definition of a grind, has varying characteristics, and gameplay. This post caused them to start reflecting over the is perceived as a grind, it is considered a sub-grind. grind they found themselves in and, in the end, deem it C. Result Limitations pointless. Some factors limited the result of this paper. There were One of the interviewees also commented on self-realization. fewer scientific journals on grinding than expected, and there ”The thing is, it is fun while you are doing it but it was no interview with an actual developer behind a grind. The is easy to get tired of it because you notice you are interviews in this paper with volunteers were decided upon doing the same thing over and over again.” late in the project, as the developers stopped responding. The -”Like a self-realization?” interviews were still beneficial and resourceful to the research, -”Exactly that. (...)” but a developers perspective could have further elevated the -Interviewee 2 result. I have personally had a similar experience after I got into Different methods could have given a more interesting result ”World of Warcraft”. As I was grinding gear to the best during compared to this papers’ research-heavy approach. Such as the current expansion, I realized that it would be irrelevant very developing an artefact that demos different grinds that players shortly after the next expansion came out. This would continue can try. This would allow for more data from players on all for every expansion that would release after that. Realizing sub-grinds identified instead of just the ones they had tried. that, after enjoying the game, I very suddenly lost interest and However, results from that artefact may have been skewed as quit. It felt bad cause I did have fun with the game, but it players know that they were going into a grind, and it would suddenly felt so pointless to play. Is this phenomenon a fault of the game or the grind, or inherently bad game design after my research. Much like other perhaps just the player? features in games, such as combat, AI or story, it can be This sudden realization leading to one losing interest in the executed well or poorly. When grinds are poorly designed, game can be put on the grind. For example, If I were to reflect they stick out like a sore thumb. on the thousands of games I have put on ”League of Legends”, While grinds necessarily are not bad, the feeling of a grind it would not feel pointless. I am constantly improving when is often not a good one. The feeling is often that you are I am playing that game, and the rank I reach every season is doing something tedious repeatedly that you rather would not a milestone that is immortalized. If you were a master player do. This is most likely why grinds have such a negative stigma. years ago, that is still impressive today. However, in the case That intense feeling of a grind is why many players quit of ”World of Warcraft”, would anyone care if you had the best playing a game. gear in the ”Mists of Pandaria” expansion when that gear is A poorly designed grind leads to people feeling miserably utterly irrelevant today? The same gear you grinded for weeks playing, but a well-designed grind can feel immensely reward- to get back then may be something you can get in a day now ing and satisfying. Therefore it is essential not to disregard the and far easier overpower. notion of a grind, but instead, consider if it is a good grind or This realization leading to one losing interest may be a not. subjective thing, but since it does happen to several people, it should not be ignored when designing a grind. A designer VI.CONCLUSION should make sure that the grind has a purpose, feels meaning- This paper contributed with a definition of what a grind ful, and does not lose its value over time. is, and in doing so, identified seven sub-grinds that can be E. Grinds are Only a Feeling encountered in games. The definition of a grind is: Throughout this paper, grinds have been argued as some- thing that developers implement into their games as a progres- ”The act of performing repetitive tasks for your gain, sion system. Nevertheless, a reoccurring theme is that grinds such as a gameplay advantage from loot or cosmetic are something players feel and perceive. Grinds may only benefits from vanity items.” be a feeling that players experience. Developers implement All of the seven sub-grinds identified encompass this defi- progression systems into their games, and some of them cause nition and have varying characteristics that differentiate them. the feeling of a grind. This paper concluded that there are more to grinds than ”We think of grinding as a game mechanic, some- them being hard, monotonous work. Players may perceive thing that happens to the player. But really, grinding them as something dull, fun, monotonous or rewarding. It all is all in our heads. It is a state of mind, not a state depends on how they are executed, which can be both well of gameplay.” [39] and poorly. Inadequate grinds, however, stick out like a sore This means that several developers can create games that thumb, which is why grinds have gathered such a negative feel like grinds unintentionally. It makes sense that whatever stigma. Developers should aim for a well-balanced grind, and is a grind is subjective if grinds only are a feeling, as people if executed well, it can grant players great satisfaction in will feel differently. As well as there is no readily available playing their game. definition for what a grind is. To achieve a great experience with a grind, developers Since grinds are only something that exists in our heads, should ensure that a grind is appropriate for their game, as it becomes a tool for less unethical developers. Making the they are not appropriate for all games. Some designers perceive grind unsatisfying, dull, and with no clear goal in sight will them as nothing more than a way to artificially extend games, incentivize players to spend money to skip it. and therefore lazy game design. But grinds can be more than It makes sense to argue grinds as something players do, that if used well. Developers should consider how a grind as a grind can elicit many different feelings from players. would affect the game and their players. Grinds should not The feelings of a grind would be, e.g., satisfaction, boredom, interfere with what players want to do, but instead complement tediousness, fun. It would become too complicated to argue their progression to give a satisfying experience. grinds if they only were a feeling, as they can be so many Grinds can unfortunately be used in malicious ways by less different things. ethical developers. As a lot of what makes a grind enjoyable If grinds only were a feeling, it would not change the surrounds how the mind reacts to it, which can be taken point of the paper. Developers and players would continue to advantage of with addiction mechanics for example. experience and perceive grinds, and developers would have To better understand the implications of these results, future to continue to keep it in mind so that players do not get studies could address the psychological aspects as to why overburdened by that feeling. people enjoy or dislike grinds and how exactly developers can take advantage of them. Potential topics could be about F. Are Grinds Bad Game Design? the self-realization that kills the monotonous grind, as it has In online discussions, grinds are often frowned upon and people going from having fun with a game to immediately disregarded, but I can confidently say that grinds are not quitting them. Perhaps that the feeling of a grind should be eliminated from gaming entirely, as a good grind may never https://www.pcgamer.com/why-i-love-playing-games- feel like a grind. and-watching-tv-at-the-same-time/ [16] B. 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Millard, “How Great Games Beat The Grind,” [Video], 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=nP1qLrXaDvE APPENDIX spel, spel som ar¨ fokuserade pa˚ story, och man borjar¨ blanda ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in grinding da,˚ da˚ blir det ofta fel. P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt?˚ Thank you to the papers supervisor Steve Dahlskog whom I1: Sa˚ i manga˚ av kortspelen jag har spelat sa˚ ar¨ grindingen advised and guided me a lot throughout the project, and the roligt for¨ att kanner¨ att jag blir battre¨ och jag uppnar˚ mer mal˚ volunteers that let me interview them which helped me greatly. som t,ex gar˚ upp i ascension. I speciellt Path of Exiles grinds Thank you to the reviewers that helped me clarify, refine sa˚ ar¨ dar¨ en valdigt¨ skon¨ kansla¨ nar¨ man far˚ ett sallsynt¨ item and improve my paper. man har grindat for.¨ Thank you to my family and friends that supported me P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund during the many days I did nothing but work on this paper. av en grind? I1: Lite av anledning jag borjade¨ spela Path of Exile var pa˚ grund av att dar¨ fanns en grind som man kunde fordriva¨ tiden INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS pa.˚ Interviews for Grinding from a gamers and game designers Ifall jag har slutat spela spel pa˚ grund av grind, sa˚ ja tillbaka point of view till Assassin’s Creed exemplet sa˚ slutade jag faktiskt spela det Interviewer: Patrick Perdomo pa˚ grund av grinden. Jag ville bara gora¨ storyn men sa˚ helt Interviewees: Anonymous plotsligt¨ sa˚ blev storyn for¨ svar˚ for¨ att dem hade gjort det sa˚ Location: Remote att man var tvungen att grinda sido saker i timmar som jag Duration: 3 - 7 minutes inte alls ville. Sa˚ dar¨ slutade jag. P = Patrick, IX = Interviewee number X Interview 2, May 10th 2021 Interview 1, May 10th 2021 P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? I2: Antar att vi fokuserar pa˚ spel? I1: Nar¨ man spelar ett spel lange¨ mot ett mal,˚ antingen bli P: Aa i spel. battre,¨ hitta nya items, mest for¨ att bli battre.¨ I2: Nar¨ man gor¨ en repetitiv uppgift om och om igen, for¨ Antingen att din karaktarer¨ blir starkare genom att grinda att till slut na˚ ett mal.˚ Det kan va olika anledningar varfor,¨ items, eller dungeons. Man kan ocksa˚ grinda spel som League som att ga˚ vidare i spelet eller bli starkare. of Legends for¨ att sjalv¨ bli battre.¨ P: I vilka spel har du grindat, och hur da˚ isafall?˚ P: I skill, som i ranked spel? I2: Finns manga˚ spel. Det som kommer till mig forst¨ ar¨ I1: Ja. ranked spel som till exempel League of Legends eller Rocket P: I vilka spel har du grindat, och hur da˚ isafall?˚ League. The Division kanner¨ jag har ratt¨ mycket grinding, I1: Jag har grindat en kortspel, Hearthstone, Slay the spire, WoW aven¨ det med med till exempel gear level. och pa˚ den senaste tiden mycket Path of Exile. I alla sadana˚ ranked)spel blir det en climb grind, att grinda Jag gillar just nar¨ det galler¨ grinden att man jobbar hela MMR. Genom att liksom spela om och om igen. I The tiden mot nagot˚ som gor¨ en battre,¨ och sa˚ ar¨ det valdigt¨ Division for¨ att bli starkare sa˚ maste˚ man skaffa battre¨ gear, avslappnande. vilket blir valdigt¨ grindy for¨ att det handlar ofta om att gora¨ P: Det ar¨ valdigt¨ intressant, att grinden ar¨ avslappnande. samma sak om och om igen for¨ att det ar¨ bara en viss chans I1: Det ar¨ avslappnande att veta att man har nagot˚ att jobba att man far˚ det man vill ha. Sa˚ ar¨ det i WoW ocksa.˚ emot nar¨ man grindar. P: Vad tycker du om grinds, personligen? P: Produktivt typ? I2: Det ar¨ lite konflikter dar¨ egentligen. Jag kan tycka det I1: Ja. ar¨ okej ifall det inte ar¨ det primara¨ fokuset pa˚ spelet. I till P: Vad tycker du om grinding personligen? exempel The Division sa˚ skulle jag saga¨ att det primara¨ fokuset I1: Det passar vissa spel, vissa spel gillar jag det i, men i ar¨ comabaten, men grinding progressionen ar¨ bara liksom en vissa spel gar˚ det helt emot vad jag vill gora¨ i spelet. Ett tydligt bieffekt av det. Nagot˚ som bara hander.¨ Sa˚ dar¨ tycker jag det exempel pa˚ det ar¨ i ett av de senaste Assassin’s Creed spelen ar¨ okej. Sa˚ ar¨ det i WoW ocksa,˚ man kor¨ det ar¨ ar¨ kul men sa˚ var man tvungen att grinda side missions for¨ att men blev grinden ar¨ inte det storsta¨ fokuset. for¨ svag som karaktar¨ for¨ att gora¨ main missions. Det gick Sa˚ ar¨ det med League och Rocket League ocksa,˚ det ar¨ inte helt emot vad jag ville for¨ jag ville bara gora¨ main story, det main fokuset. Medans i typ Cookie Clicker sa˚ ar¨ det liksom kande¨ jag var meningen, det var liksom ett story spel. Man main mechanic att grinda. var tvungen att ga˚ levla upp sin karaktar¨ i sidodelen, trots jag P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt?˚ inte ville. I2: Anledningen tycker att jag tycker det ar¨ okej att det finns Men som sagt finns det spel var grinden ar¨ det sjalva¨ det ar¨ for¨ att det gor¨ spel langre,¨ sa˚ att man inte far˚ slut pa˚ grejer roliga. Som i slay the spire, som ar¨ ett av spelen jag spelat att gora.¨ I The Division eller WoW och sant˚ sa˚ finns det ju mest. Hela grejen i det for¨ mig ar¨ att grinda ascension nivaer,˚ alltid en anledning att spela varse det ar¨ att levla eller fa˚ battre¨ det ar¨ darf¨ or¨ jag tycker det ar¨ roligt. gear osv. Sa˚ ja, just for¨ att det forl¨ anger¨ spelets livstid. Sa˚ jag skulle saga¨ att jag gillar grinding i vissa typer av Nar¨ det inte finns nagon˚ skillnad alls pa˚ att spela eller spel, da˚ man ar¨ installd¨ pa˚ det. Men i vissa typer som story grinds, da˚ ar¨ det trakigt˚ till mig. P: Sa˚ man kan saga¨ att incremental games inte ar¨ for¨ dig? Interview 4, May 10th 2021 I2: Ja precis, det kan man saga.¨ For¨ da˚ ar¨ det verkligen P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? samma sak hela tiden. Bra grinding.. da˚ kanner¨ jag kanske att I4: Nar¨ man sitter och spelar ett spel valdigt¨ frekvent. I det inte alltid ar¨ exakt samma grej. Diablo 3 till exempel sa˚ kor¨ man bounties for¨ att fa˚ material, P: Spelade du nagonsin˚ social games som Farmville? man gor¨ rifts for¨ att fa˚ gear och fa˚ keys for¨ att kunna kora¨ I2: Jo det ar¨ klart, och dar¨ ar¨ mycket grinding. Att bygga grifts. Man grindar allt det har¨ for¨ att fa˚ sin karaktar¨ sa˚ bra sa˚ ut sin farm, oka¨ ut produktion och sa.˚ Det tycker jag ar¨ ratt¨ mojligt,¨ sa˚ det handlar om att lagga¨ ner mycket tid. trakigt˚ ocksa.˚ P: I vilka spel har du grindat, hur da?˚ Grejen ar,¨ det ar¨ kul nar¨ man val¨ gor¨ det men sen ar¨ det I4: Diablo 3, man gor¨ det jag namnde¨ tidigare, bounties, ratt¨ latt¨ att trottna¨ pa˚ det for¨ att man marker¨ att det ar¨ samma grifts och sa˚ gor¨ man det hela tiden. Malet˚ ar¨ att man vill sak om och om igen. komma upp pa˚ leaderboarden genom att fa˚ en bra tid i greater P: Sa˚ man far˚ nagon˚ sorts sjalv¨ upplysning? rifts. I2: Precis sa˚ ar¨ det, det gor¨ ju att man faktiskt spelar spelet P: Vad tycker du om grinding? langre¨ men det ar¨ inte roligt for¨ dig. I4: Svar˚ fraga.˚ Det ar¨ kul om du har nagon˚ att spela med, P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund att sitta ensam ar¨ valdigt¨ enformigt. Det blir trakigt˚ snabbt att av en grind? sitta dar¨ sjalv.¨ Det ar¨ kul men samtidigt sa˚ ar¨ det trakigt.˚ Allt I2: Jag skulle kunna saga¨ League men jag ar¨ osaker.¨ Jag har att gora¨ med om du spelar med nagon˚ eller inte. Jag kan tanker¨ pa˚ att om jag ska ranka upp sa˚ maste˚ jag gora¨ samma spela sjalv¨ ocksa˚ men det ar¨ inte alls lika roligt. Titta pa˚ en sak om och om igen.. vilket kan ha varit en anledning till film, kolla , eller lyssna pa˚ musik kan hjalpa¨ nar¨ man varfor¨ jag avsluta. Det blir for¨ manga˚ spel och for¨ repetitivt. spelar ensam. Jag glomde¨ att namna¨ Diablo 3. Det kan jag kanna¨ att jag P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt˚ till dig? spelar for¨ grinden. Det ar¨ just for¨ att jag tycker det ar¨ coolt I4: Det ar¨ att fa˚ sin egen progress, att borja¨ fran˚ level 0 till att tavla¨ mot andra manniskor¨ pa˚ GR. Det blir som en tavling¨ att na˚ max level 70 till att sedan ga˚ vidare till paragon levels. mot andra manniskor¨ att kunna grinda pa˚ hur snabbt man kan Sen att fa˚ den battre¨ gear sa˚ man kan kora¨ hogre¨ grifts och klara av en greater rift. Man kan val¨ saga¨ att jag tycker online hamna pa˚ leaderboarden. Det ar¨ det roliga, att kunna tanka¨ grinding e kul, medans offline grinding ar¨ trakigt.˚ fan, borjar¨ fa˚ ihop bra gear har,¨ borjar¨ fa˚ upp mycket damage Interview 3, May 10th 2021 och kan kora¨ hogre¨ grifts. P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund I3: Till exempel i Diablo 3, sa˚ hade det varit att fa˚ en av en grind? primal. Det ar¨ det svaraste˚ man kan gora.¨ Primals har de I4: Nej, jag har inte spelat mycket grinding spel men for¨ hogsta¨ statusen. For¨ att fa˚ det sa˚ maste˚ man sla˚ den svarare˚ nagon˚ anledning sa˚ har jag fastnat for¨ Diabo 3. Jag och mina svarighetsgraden,˚ vilket ar¨ solo rift 70. Men det ar¨ inte alltid vanner¨ har suttit och spelat det i valdigt¨ manga˚ timmar. Jag man far˚ vad man vill ha. fick en van¨ genom att spela Diablo tillsammans sa˚ det har P: I vilka spel har du grindat, hur da?˚ ocksa˚ fatt˚ lite av ett sentimentalt varde.¨ Det har skapat en I3: Jag har grindast mest i Diablo, och da˚ har jag kort¨ mest vanskap¨ genom att grinda tillsammans, att satta¨ sa˚ mycket tid greater rifts for¨ att gear sa˚ att min gubbe blir starkare. Jag pa˚ ett spel. daremot¨ inte sa˚ mycket for¨ leaderboards som manga˚ gor.¨ Interview 5, May 10th 2021 P: Vad tycker du om grinding? I3: For¨ att vara arlig¨ sa˚ hatar jag det. Inte all grinding, med P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? vanner¨ sa˚ kan det bara skoj men om ar¨ ensam sa˚ kan det bli I5: Ett hart˚ arbete for¨ en stor beloning.¨ trakigt˚ efter ett tag, vilket ar¨ vad jag hatar med det. P: I vilka spel har du grindat, hur da?˚ P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt˚ till dig? I5: Jag har grindat rating i Rocket League, guld i WoW. I3: Att bara sitta dar¨ ensam och grinda, det ar¨ inte skoj. Det kraver¨ mycket tid och forb¨ attring.¨ Om vi kollar pa˚ Rocket Har du nagon˚ att prata och spela med, da˚ kan det vara skoj. League till exempel sa˚ ar¨ grinden alla matcher jag spelar som Om man haller˚ pa˚ med nagonting˚ samtidigt sa˚ kan det bli skoj ger + eller - i rating. men att spela ensam ar¨ inte samma sak. P: Vad tycker du om grinding? P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund I5: Det ar¨ jobbigt nar¨ man grindar men nar¨ uppnar˚ det man av en grind? vill sa˚ ar¨ det ett stort reward. I3: Jag har slutat spela Destiny 2 for¨ att man var tvungen att P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt˚ till dig? grinda. Jamf¨ ort¨ med Diablo sa˚ tog det for¨ lang˚ tid i Destiny I5: Att grinda ar¨ en monoton sak, det ar¨ nagot˚ man gor¨ om och det var inte lika varierat. och om igen oftast. Inte alltid, I WoW nar¨ man grindar guld sa˚ Ska man gora¨ grinds sa˚ borde man kolla pa˚ vad Diablo har kan man ju gora¨ olika saker, men det ar¨ and¨ a˚ nanstans˚ samma gjort. Man far˚ massor av saker nar¨ man spelar, sarskilt¨ pa˚ de sak pa˚ nagot˚ satt.¨ Det ar¨ enformigt vilket gor¨ det trakigt˚ for¨ hogsta¨ svarighetsgraden.˚ Det kanns¨ rewarding. Destiny kanns¨ mig. inte sa˚ rewarding for¨ att man kan sitta en hel dag pa˚ det utan P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund sa˚ mycket progression. av en grind? I5: Ja, jag har slutat spela for¨ att jag har trottnat¨ eftersom att jag har gjort samma sak om och om igen nar¨ jag grinda. Interview 6, May 11th 2021 P: Hur skulle du beskriva en grind? I6: Nar¨ man maste˚ gora¨ samma sak eller valdigt¨ liknande saker om och om igen for¨ att na˚ ett mal.˚ P: I vilka spel har du grindat, hur da?˚ I6: Framforallt¨ Diablo 3, dar¨ har det varit mycket grinding. Dar¨ gor¨ man egentligen samma sak, man gar˚ in i rifter hela tiden for¨ att fors¨ oka¨ fa˚ battre¨ gear och hela tiden sa˚ maste˚ man fortsatta¨ att gora¨ det for¨ att komma vidare i spelet. Annars har jag spelat och det ar¨ likadant. I RuneScape ocksa˚ ar¨ dar¨ valdigt¨ mycket grinding, dar¨ gor¨ man typ exakt samma sak hela tiden for¨ att uppna˚ hogre¨ level. P: Vad tycker du om grinding? I6: Jag ar¨ jakligt¨ beroende av det. Majoriteten av spelen jag spelar ar¨ grinding spel kanns¨ det som. Jag typ hittar grinding i spel i spel som inte gjorde for¨ att grinda. I Escape From Tarkov till exempel vilket ar¨ ett svart˚ FPS spel. Man kan ju fors¨ oka¨ doda¨ andra spelare och progressa pa˚ det sattet,¨ men jag lootar istallet¨ at˚ sidan i exakt samma stallen¨ for¨ att fa˚ grejer, pengar osv och det blir som en grind i ett spel som inte ar¨ designat for¨ det. P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ grinding skoj eller trakigt˚ till dig? I6: Det ar¨ kul nar¨ det inte tar alltfor¨ lang˚ tid att kanna¨ progress. Grinding maste˚ vara pa˚ ratt¨ niva.˚ Diablo har bemastrat¨ det tycker jag, det tar and¨ a˚ tid att fa˚ grejer men man far˚ alltid sma˚ saker hela tiden som ror¨ dig framat.˚ I RuneScape till exempel sa˚ tar det extremt lang˚ tid for¨ att gora¨ framsteg, och det ar¨ inte for¨ mig. P: Har du nagonsin˚ slutat eller borjat¨ spela ett spel pa˚ grund av en grind? I6: Ja, bade˚ och. Samma spel har jag slutat for¨ att jag var trott¨ pa˚ grinden, och samma spel kan jag borja¨ for¨ att jag var sugen pa˚ att grinda. P: Vad ar¨ det som gor¨ dig sugen pa˚ att grinda? I6: Bra fraga.˚ Jag tror jag gillar nar¨ det ar¨ nagot˚ man maste˚ grinda for,¨ for¨ att det innebar¨ att det ar¨ nagot˚ inte alla har det direkt. Om alla kan fa˚ det direkt da˚ kanns¨ det inte speciellt, inget personal gain. Om jag har grindat for¨ det da˚ har jag kampat¨ for¨ det, vilket gor¨ sa˚ att det kanns¨ roligare for¨ att man har lyckats med nagonting.˚ Man skulle kunna kalla Counter Strike en grind ocksa˚ da,˚ dar¨ ar¨ det kul att grinda ladders typ, for¨ att fors¨ oka¨ komma upp i rank. Jag gillar att vara hogre¨ rank an¨ genomsnittet.