Some mechanics end up in every game’s checklist simply because everyone does it. But do they really solve the problems they’re meant to?
Recently, I attended a G5 Games meetup in Belgrade, where the team discussed integrating a well-known feature — the Daily Reward. It’s that familiar mechanic where new players are encouraged to log in daily for several days, collecting small prizes and a “big” reward at the end. What caught my attention was a comment from the audience: this feature is a must-have because “everyone uses it.”
Its key metrics are usually D1/D3/D7 retention, and in this case, too, tests showed a slight increase. So — does it work? Maybe, but only at first glance.
The logic of the Daily Reward relies on a mild FOMO effect: players are promised something valuable for minimal effort — something they’ll lose if they skip a day. But if the game hasn’t hooked them, no reward will. In reality, the feature mainly affects those who would have returned anyway.
For engaged players, it can help build a habit of logging in more often — which explains the short-term retention bump. But check it against rolling retention, and the effect looks much smaller.
In that sense, Daily Reward is a good habit-building tool for an already motivated audience. But the habit must be reinforced by other FOMO-driven mechanics that maintain engagement.
I’m skeptical about treating this feature as a must-have for short-term retention. It’s easy to overheat the starting economy with rewards that later have to be balanced or removed.
So, should we really add features just because “everyone else has them”? I’d love to hear your thoughts on Daily Reward.