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I agree entirely- and I try to do an "emotional audit" on how I'm feeling while playing a game. I know exactly what you mean by that dopamine grind sensation,

I agree entirely- and I try to do an "emotional audit" on how I'm feeling while playing a game. I know exactly what you mean by that dopamine grind sensation, and when I sense that being present (and no joy), I will either uninstall and stop playing the game, or take a step back and reassess my relationship with the game.

brundolf 5y ago
Having had more time to think about this, I think one distinguishing factor is to what degree the dopamine is based in superficial signifiers, vs actual accomplishment. Of course not all games have to be about accomplishment at all, but I think the ones that are are more fulfilling when it’s rooted in substance and not just fanfare (noises, animations, numbers going up).