Business / Working paper

The Price of Play: Psychology, Business Ethics and the Changing Value of Digital Gaming (2013–2026)

Psychology, Business Ethics and the Changing Value of Digital Gaming (2013–2026)

A 2026 interdisciplinary conceptual working paper examining player motivation, reward systems, monetisation and commercial responsibility in video games. Drawing on psychology and business ethics, it distinguishes transparent optional purchases from manipulation, FOMO and misleading pressure. Historical cases include Diablo III and Fallout 2. The paper proposes a player-centred ethical game design framework and a Creative Integrity Agreement; it reports no original empirical study or external peer review.