> Identifying something as a dark pattern for no other reason than that it's common doesn't make any sense. That's not what I am saying, but it might not be cl

> Identifying something as a dark pattern for no other reason than that it's common doesn't make any sense. That's not what I am saying, but it might not be clear. What I mean is, that pattern is so common in "free to play, pay to advance" games that it is now a kind of "noise" pattern -- it has infected all games in the way that Upworthy's headline writing style ("X Will Drop Your Jaw And It Is Amazing") has infected all writing. These are dark patterns because they manipulate the reader or player into doing something irrational. The fact that these things are now so commonplace as to be self-satirising doesn't make them good patterns.