An educational resource for gamers and non-gamers alike to make informed purchases on the games we love.
Deceptive patterns are design choices in websites, apps, and video games used to intentionally manipulate users into taking actions they otherwise would not, and they are everywhere in video games. From loot boxes, to time-limited sales, deceptive patterns in video games actively push users to spend more time and money in the game most commonly through microtransactions.
Many gamers are unaware of the predatory designs causing them to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on in-game purchases.
Games can contain loot boxes that are “psychologically akin to gambling” and prime its users to form unhealthy gaming habits yet kids can easily access them.
Deceptive pattern obfuscate the true price of in-game purchases, making it extremely difficult to make an informed purchase decision.
There are over X known deceptive patterns in video games. These designs all push users to spend more time and money. The Glossary provide names, descriptions, and real world examples from some of the most popular titles like Call of Duty and League of Legends.
Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to defend against the subtle influences of these deceptive designs. Find common and helpful strategies aiming to reduce or prevent time and money spent on video games.
Originally started as an undergraduate senior thesis project, the Honest Games Project is designed to expose deceptive designs in interactive media. It is part of a long term mission to become a consumer advocate for video game players of all ages. Wolfe, the sole developer of the project, has a bachelors degree in English and Interactive Multimedia and loves all forms of digital media, with expertise in web design, writing and video editing.
The project is under active development and is open to feedback. View the roadmap.