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Playing by Appointment

Written by Alex

Posted: 2026-6-5

Last updated: 2026-6-5

Log in every day and complete a daily task. Do this for a week and get rewarded. A deceptive pattern eerily similar to a job.

Defined

Games that encourage logging in at specific times to complete objectives or curry additional resources are using the deceptive pattern playing by appointment. Common examples include limited-time events, daily or weekly login rewards, and specific timeslot activities (i.e., 1.5x rewards between 6pm and 8pm). The design intends to increase player retention and form habits around the game by giving disadvantages to players that do not participate and the fear of missing out on rewards or unique content. (1)

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