From Facebook games to a llama reminding you to drink water: The rise of 'streaks,' the rewards that keep you hooked
The streak draws on two key ideas: reward daily engagement and punish irregularity. These were popularized by free-to-play games that spread across Facebook starting in 2007, funded by microtransactions, data resale and advertising. "The longer they keep you coming back, the more valuable data you provide to the developers," explained Julien Pillot, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Nice and specializes in video games.
Winning over occasional users is thus crucial. Developers find inspiration from video game scoring systems that reward speed or the number of "kills," or when you find secret areas – features that "artificially maximize a game's lifespan," according to Pillot. They adapt this strategy to instantly hook new players: "The simplest and most effective way to get people to return regularly is to reward them just for logging in," Pillot said.
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