10 Clever Ways Developers Make You Addicted To Video Games

2. Inserting As Much Loot As Possible

'Loot' may be most commonly defined as an item taken from an enemy during times of war, but among modern gamers, loot is perhaps best defined as the ultimate incentive.

Although it wasn't the first of its kind, 1997's Diablo really set the template for how the simple act of collecting items can become the most addictive thing in the world. Unlike other RPGs of that time which gradually presented an increasingly powerful series of items to the player in order to help them complete the adventure, Diablo treated its items more like status symbols.

While the items certainly helped you progress through the game's increasingly difficult battles, the battles themselves became secondary to the simple pleasure of seeing what new item you were going to acquire next.

Today, games like Borderlands and The Division base the majority of their entertainment value on the simple pleasure of collecting new and better equipment, constantly. It's a compelling concept to build a game around that becomes all the more addictive when coupled with the next entry on this list...