Abstract
This games user research study deconstructed how ‘no-cost barrier-to-entry’ games frequently employ psychological principles to drive player retention. The study identified unfinished tasks, timed rewards, and frequent notifications as the primary mechanics used to compel players to return. The researcher categorized these features as Zeigarnik Effect mechanics because they strategically leverage the internal psychological tension and ‘quasi-need’ for completion that occurs when a task is started but interrupted. By keeping unresolved objectives salient in the player’s mind, these mechanics create a persistent need for closure that sustains investment in the game world.
Degree Date
Spring 5-16-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.I.T.
Department
Production
Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Stringer
Second Advisor
Dr. Karl Steiner
Number of Pages
56
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Tabin, Maxwell C., "How Freemium Game Mechanics Secure the Continuation of Play with the Zeigarnik Effect" (2026). Production Theses and Dissertations. 11.
https://scholar.smu.edu/guildhall_production_etds/11
