It’s a question of intent by the business as well.
Blizzard and Wizards of the Sword coast, despite getting into similar mechanics as F2P games, are still companies that largely extract value from customers as a byproduct of providing them with fun experiences. Companies like that in the article are different, usually extracting value by producing thinly-veiled gambling experiences that prey on the fallacies in our internal reward systems.
Both kinds of companies have access to the same tools and tricks to manipulate our reward systems. But how we play depends on the intention.
Blizzard and Wizards of the Sword coast, despite getting into similar mechanics as F2P games, are still companies that largely extract value from customers as a byproduct of providing them with fun experiences. Companies like that in the article are different, usually extracting value by producing thinly-veiled gambling experiences that prey on the fallacies in our internal reward systems.
Both kinds of companies have access to the same tools and tricks to manipulate our reward systems. But how we play depends on the intention.