The Pleasure of Progress: Why Growth Itself Is Gameplay

Improving a number is gameplay: bigger, better, stronger, faster, smarter, richer, more skilled. Game design is about fulfilling the player’s inner desires.

At its core, gameplay is about change—from weak to strong, unknown to known, chaos to mastery. It doesn’t matter whether the game is action-packed or meditative. As long as the player feels they are becoming something more, the system is working.

Designing around progression is not just about stats or numbers—it’s about emotional resonance with transformation.

1. Players love to watch numbers go up

Whether it’s:

  • Damage increasing from 5 to 5000
  • Coins stacking from 1 to 1,000,000
  • A character’s level, fame, or beauty rating growing

These changes give players a sense of control over time. They aren’t just playing—they’re shaping outcomes.

This is the appeal of:

  • Idle games
  • RPG progression trees
  • Upgrade systems
  • Life sims and tycoon games

The feedback loop is simple:
Play → Progress → Pleasure → Play again

2. It’s not just about numbers—it’s about identity

Progression taps into deeper desires:

  • To feel stronger (power fantasy)
  • To feel wiser (puzzle-solving, mastery)
  • To feel wealthier (resource games, cosmetics)
  • To feel more admired (multiplayer status, customization)

When you let players level up, you’re not just improving a stat—you’re reinforcing a psychological need.

3. Case example: Cookie Clicker

Cookie Clicker is absurdly simple. You click a cookie. You get more cookies. You buy a grandma who bakes more cookies.
But why does it work?

Because it’s pure dopamine architecture:

  • Every click improves production
  • Every upgrade reveals new layers
  • Every number increase affirms effort

It’s not the theme. It’s the loop of I’m getting more.
Growth is a drug, and games are the cleanest, most ethical way to deliver it.

4. Why this matters for designers

A game can look stylish, feel smooth, and sound amazing—but if nothing gets better, players lose the will to stay.

The job of a designer isn’t just to challenge players. It’s to reward their time. And nothing rewards time more effectively than visible, tangible, repeatable growth.

One-liner takeaway:
The heartbeat of gameplay is simple: make the player feel like they’re becoming more.