Most top grossing games get the vast majority of their revenue from a very small % of users, referred to as “whales”. A game is a motivational system typically

Most top grossing games get the vast majority of their revenue from a very small % of users, referred to as “whales”. A game is a motivational system typically fulfils intrinsic needs (relatedness, autonomy, mastery and purpose). techniques which tap into rheee needs successfully compel people to pay. TV by comparison is more passive so perhaps it’s less likely someone consuming it would experience the type of ‘flow’ and rewards you get from a game. You can also check out Jane McGonigal’s Reality Is Broken for a bit more about the psychology of gaming or Yu-Kai Choi’s Actionable Gamification book. Choi’s book details many of the black hat persuasive techniques) commonly found in games, which also compel people to spend more than they perhaps would really want to!