ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Why does 99% completion somehow feel worse than 80%?
Why can one missing collectible become more important than the final boss?
And why do so many of us spend dozens of additional hours ticking off side quests, hunting trophies and achievements, and chasing that elusive 100%?
In this episode of Lore & Order, we're exploring the psychology behind completionism in games. From tracking collectibles and platinum trophies, to the Zeigarnik Effect and our deeply human desire for closure, we unpack why games are so good at making us want to leave no stone unturned.
Because maybe we're not just collecting digital items. Maybe we're collecting something much more meaningful.
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Episode Links:
Zeigarnik Effect - Gary Drevitch:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/basics/zeigarnik-effect
Interruption, recall and resumption: a meta-analysis of the Zeigarnik and Ovsiankina effects - R. Ghibellini & B. Meier:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-025-05000-w
The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-Determination Theory Approach - R. Ryan, S. Rigby, and A. Przybylski:
https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2006_RyanRigbyPrzybylski_MandE.pdf
