The Division developer Fredrik Thylander has expressed how he thinks “Achievements/Trophies have been bad for gaming.” Sharing his thoughts on Twitter, Thylander explained how these digital rewards “narrows games down… disrupts and diverts attention, and [eat] resources that could have made the game better.”
Why are Trophies and Achievements “bad for gaming”?
Unpopular opinion : achievements/trophies have been bad for gaming. It narrows games down, it disrupts and diverts attention, and it eats resources that could have made the game better.
— Fredrik Thylander (@Thylander) January 7, 2023
Responding to a comment, Thylander expanded on his thoughts, saying:
“I just think games should have the reward mechanisms most suited for them, and the one-size-fits-all mandate from platform holders to make reward systems that benefit the platform makes games worse.”
Despite working on the Trophies and Achievements for Mirror’s Edge, Thylander doesn’t think the digital rewards are any good.
It’s common to see players complaining about Trophies centered around completing tasks within an online multiplayer, as they can become much trickier to accomplish over time. Trophies tied to difficulty settings have also become controversial, to the point where The Last of Us Part I’s Platinum dropped the difficult-based Trophy requirement.
However, in general, Trophies seem to be a key part of the PlayStation experience for many, with our Trophy lists regularly receiving attention from those planning their way through upcoming games.
Elsewhere in Trophy news, The Callisto Protocol dropped the controversial All Deaths Trophy.
