Dark Patterns in the Design of Games

José P. Zagal, Staffan Björk, Chris Lewis

We examine some of the ways in which [the] opposed interests [of game designers and players] can manifest in a game's design. In particular, we examine those elements of a game's design whose purpose can be argued as questionable and perhaps even unethical.

Dark Patterns

Dark Patterns are tricks used in websites and apps that make you do things that you didn't mean to, like buying or signing up for something. The purpose of this site is to spread awareness and to shame companies that use them.

Dark Pattern Games

A game review website devoted to helping you find (Android and iOS games) games that don't use psychological tricks to manipulate you into becoming an addicted gamer. Learn about the dark patterns that game designers use to waste your precious time and money.

Play the game to see how video games are designed to get you hooked and spending

Lucy Carter, Lesley Robinson, Laura Gartry, Alex Palmer

In late 2020, [ABC's] Four Corners launched a crowdsourced investigation into video gaming and received more than 3,000 responses. Many gamers told us how much they enjoyed playing, but others raised concerns about how focused gaming had become on profiting from them...