The Dark Patterns of Battle Passes : Investigating player attitudes to a growing type of microtransaction

Abstract: In recent years, many PC and console video games have seen a shift towards live service models as a means of generating recurring revenue through in-game purchases called microtransactions. Microtransactions have been linked to the concept of dark patterns—design patterns that favour the service at the expense of the end user—due to their possible negative impact on the user experience. One widespread yet poorly studied microtransaction is the battle pass, particularly from a player perspective. In order to investigate playerattitudes to dark patterns found in battle passes, we conducted two studies, by looking at battle passes found in 19 games, and by carrying out a series of discussion workshops, to identify dark pattern commonalities in battle passes, and to find out how players perceive and experience dark patterns in battle passes, respectively. Data was analysed by means of reflexive thematic analysis in both studies. The results show that battle passes attempt to drive increased player engagement and spending in a number of ways, and further that players have complex—and often contradictory—relationships to battle passes.