Persuasive Communication in Video Games and Digital Leisure: Young Generations Facing New Consumption Models
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62008/ixc/16/02ComuniKeywords:
Video Games, Advergaming, Dark Patterns, Youth, Persuasive CommunicationAbstract
Persuasive communication in video games and digital leisure has become increasingly prominent with the consolidation of models such as games as a service and free-to-play environments. Drawing on recent literature, this article addresses the following key dimensions of the issue: the presence of persuasive architecture and dark patterns in video game design; the commercial integration of brands and advertising formats into the gaming experience; and use of persuasion both for education as well as ideological influence. Based on this approach, the authors contend that video games are communicative, social, and financial ecosystems with a significant impact on young people, whose perception of the boundaries between play, consumption, and monetary transaction has become blurred. Finally, the article highlights the need to enhance media literacy, along with regulatory frameworks that are adapted to contemporary digital leisure.
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