Every millennial has know the joy and heartbreak of loving an electronic pet. Be it of the virtual pet variety like Tamagotchi and Giga Pets, the cell phone paradise of Neko Atsume, or the not quite pocket sized kind that dwell in the regions of the Pokémon series, experiencing real love for a fake furry companion is a common experience shared by basically anyone with a human brain.
On this episode of Reality Check, Emma explores why we form real emotional bonds with fake pets. Since their pseudo-conception in the JRPGS of the late 80s/early 90s in games like Devil Story: Shin Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest V, pet-like creatures have played a major role in enticing players to seek the positive feedback of successful interaction. Games like Pokémon took this a step further with monster rearing becoming the central game mechanic. The unpredictability of discovering new creatures in each new area, either in the actual Pokémon games – or in the "real world" when playing Pokémon GO – stimulates the brain in a way that makes us want to repeat that behavior. And raising those monsters from their first form all the way up through their final evolution? Soundly defeating the Elite Four with a perfectly balanced party that’s ready for any challenge thrown their way? The "pride of care" is a huge part of the reason why the Pokémon endures to this day.
Timestamps:
00:00 – 00:33 – Intro
00:34 – 04:12 – History
04:13 – 06:53 – Social Benefits
06:54 – 08:54 – The "Tamagotchi Effect"
08:55 – 10:23 – Can You Pet the Dog?
10:24 – 12:39 – Reward = Repeat
12:40 – 15:03 – The Unpredictability Factor
15:04 – 16:32 – Conclusion
16:32 – 16:45 – Credits
#gaming #gamespot #pokemon #pokemonGO
