Esports: How Platinum Trophies Bring Out Gamers' 100% Performance

“100%”

“Platinum Trophies”

These terms used by gamers to signify their mastery of the competition. Gone are the days of high-scores which serve as bragging rights among peers, game developers have incorporated achievement systems to document progress and dedication to the multitude of tasks in a specific game. These tasks are often represented as trophies with bronze trophies being the common tasks expected when you play a game and a platinum trophy to signify you have collected all possible achievements for the game of choice.

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Motivation in gaming and esports

This has appealed to certain gamers who are not satisfied with simply finishing a game, more than that, they need to be able to be at 100%.

“Aside from the joy of adding it to my digital trophy collection, (100% completion) gives you a sense of connection to a certain game. It gives you the feeling that you have played the game like it was meant to be played and getting that platinum feels like having a closure on that particular game. Its like in a relationship where you can finally close the book and move on” said Miko “ArtMeek” Jison, a 34 year old gamer and real estate virtual assistant.

For Artmeek, achievement hunting started when he wanted to provide proof of his mastery over Metal Gear Solid 4.

The motivation to hunt for game achievements is similar to how we process motivation in our everyday lives. Intrinsic motivation is the drive for one to act due to personal satisfaction and other internalized reward systems as we value them. One player for example may find extreme satisfaction in simply beating a game, but others may find satisfaction in beating a game as quickly as possible such as those who participate in speedrunning communities.

For others, motivation is extrinsic; people are motivated to do tasks in game due to tangible rewards such as validation among peers, currency rewards, etc. This is highlighted in genres like gacha games like Genshin Impact where achievements give you tokens or in-game currency to spend to strengthen your characters and rosters.

These motivations, internal or external, provide a sense of duty and commitment to our tasks and at times can help develop discipline and determination, even if it is simply video game tasks since these habits and character traits learned from video games can be applied in the real world.

It's never just a game

Game achievements also reward players who get better at playing the game. Some achievements are skill-capped, meaning, one must be able to perform a skillful task such as dodging 200 consecutive lighting strikes in Final Fantasy X without resting or leaving an area, in order to accomplish a certain feat to get a trophy. At some point, one or two trophies should be linked to player skill to serve as a testament to your journey of improvement in game, said Artmeek.

Trophies, while a source of pride for the player, are not there to serve as gatekeepers for newer players. While being able to fulfill the developer’s challenges provide a different experience, “Games are meant to be enjoyed the way you want it,” said Artmeek.

In that sense, no game is simply “just a game” especially when the medium is able to connect and motivate the players to see the world in a different perspective. Gamers’ varying interpretations of achievement allow them to feel a sense of completeness and closure before preparing themselves to hop onto their next great gaming adventure.