1 Cooperative feedback loops

Cooperative feedback loops are those that encourage the players to work together towards a common objective, such as completing a quest, defeating a boss, or surviving a horde. They can take the form of shared rewards, such as loot, experience, or achievements, or shared penalties, such as health loss, death, or failure. Cooperative feedback loops can create a sense of camaraderie, trust, and mutual support among the players, as well as a challenge that requires coordination and communication. Some examples of games that use cooperative feedback loops are Left 4 Dead, World of Warcraft, and Portal 2.

2 Competitive feedback loops

Competitive feedback loops are those that stimulate the players to compete against each other, either individually or in teams, for a certain outcome, such as winning a match, scoring a goal, or ranking up. They can take the form of direct rewards, such as points, medals, or trophies, or indirect rewards, such as recognition, reputation, or bragging rights. Competitive feedback loops can create a sense of rivalry, excitement, and achievement among the players, as well as a challenge that requires skill and strategy. Some examples of games that use competitive feedback loops are Call of Duty, FIFA, and Overwatch.

3 Collaborative-competitive feedback loops

Collaborative-competitive feedback loops are those that combine elements of both cooperation and competition, creating a more complex and dynamic multiplayer experience. They can take the form of mixed rewards, such as team-based points, individual-based medals, or shared loot, or mixed penalties, such as friendly fire, betrayal, or sabotage. Collaborative-competitive feedback loops can create a sense of tension, uncertainty, and drama among the players, as well as a challenge that requires balance and adaptation. Some examples of games that use collaborative-competitive feedback loops are Among Us, Fortnite, and Dead by Daylight.

4 Social feedback loops

Social feedback loops are those that enhance the social aspects of multiplayer games, such as chat, voice, emotes, gestures, or avatars. They can take the form of social rewards, such as likes, comments, followers, or friends, or social penalties, such as dislikes, reports, blocks, or bans. Social feedback loops can create a sense of community, identity, and expression among the players, as well as a challenge that requires etiquette and empathy. Some examples of games that use social feedback loops are Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and Roblox.

5 Feedback loop design tips

Designing feedback loops for your game is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Depending on the genre, goal, and audience, different types and combinations of feedback loops may be necessary to create an engaging and enjoyable multiplayer experience. To this end, it’s important to identify the core loop of your game, choose the type and intensity of feedback loops that match it, test and iterate them, balance them, and experiment with them. Doing so can help you create games that appeal to a wide range of players and keep them hooked for a long time. Feedback loops are powerful tools that can be used to create immersive and social multiplayer experiences.