RNG, or randomness, is at the core of casino games, as well as some of the most popular video games. However, casino software developers and modern game designers don’t leverage the RNG for identical purposes. Here we will talk about why RNG is such an important element in both casinos and gaming and how it is used to achieve the goals of developers. Additionally, we’ll discuss how players feel about and whether these forms of entertainment can function without randomness. 

RNG in Casinos and Gambling

Randomness is one of the most important parts of the casino entertainment. It’s the element that guarantees fairness and the reason why players want to participate in gambling activities. It determines the likelihood of winning and losing and the reward amount based on those odds. In a sense, it determines the return to the player or RTP. According to the gambling experts’ analysis at ToppCasinoNorge, operators with higher RTP are deemed as better. Players find them fair and safe and are more likely to play there. Some of the top-performing brands have an RTP of above 95%, which is more than fair.     

How Players Feel About RNG in Casino Games

 

There are different types of casino games and different types of players. For example, strategic players usually opt for games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. Now RNG is very present here, but it’s viewed as a challenge. Players want to play around it rather than accept the fact that everything is up to a roll of a die. 

 

For example, playing red or black in roulette gives you roughly a 50% chance of guessing the right outcome. However, players know that it’s highly unlikely for a sequence of red, black, red, black, red, black to occur over multiple spins. It’s simply unnatural. So players bet 2 or 3 times in a row on the same color, and they double the bet size whenever they lose. This way, all of the previous losses are nullified. 

 

In blackjack, players can count cards, and after many rounds, they’ll know whether the deck has more high-value cards or less. This way, they know if the likelihood of blackjack is higher or lower. As far as other types of casino games go (scratch cards, slots, keno, etc.), players are fully aware that the odds of winning a big prize are low. Yet the size of the jackpot is what drives the engagement and makes the game exciting. 

RNG in Modern Video Games

Video games have always been designed around challenges. They test if players can act quickly enough, or if they can solve puzzles, or come up with strategies to overcome foes or obstacles. Adding randomness as a factor here would only make the experience worse. 

 

However, that’s not the case with certain RPGs. In the recently released Baldur’s Gate 3, almost everything you do is up to chance. This is because the core mechanics mimic the rule set of the tabletop pen-and-paper RPG Dungeons and Dragons. The goal here is to create a team that can address different challenges and mitigate the chance of failure. But randomness is there to ensure there is always a small chance of failure or success. So, rolling a 1 or 20 can lead to some exciting outcomes.  

Rewards and Loot Boxes

RNG is heavily used in modern games for determining player rewards. In some cases, these rewards are just cosmetics, but there are genres where rewards really matter. Here are a few examples of video games where rewards are randomized:

  • Hearthstone
  • Master Duel
  • League of Legends
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo
  • FIFA 

Here players get rewards like new equipment, card packs, champions, team members, etc. They use these rewards to customize their decks, in-game characters, or sports teams. In other words, they can’t get what they want but have to rely on the luck of the draw. This may sound frustrating, and for many players, it is. But at the same time, this design philosophy has a lot of positive outcomes.

  1. Players are significantly happier if they get lucky and receive the reward they want.
  2. They can try different things and different strategies because they need to work with what they have.
  3. They can’t meet all of their goals at once, so they invest more playtime.
  4. They are incentivized to spend money on lootboxes.

RNG, in this case, also helps developers make more money. Those who have income and don’t have as much time to grind for the stuff they want are more likely to purchase lootboxes. These lootboxes also have randomized rewards, but they are not expensive. So, it’s not uncommon for adult gamers to spend around $20 to $50 in hopes of getting what they want. After all, opening hundreds of packs or loot boxes will likely give them the desired assets. 

How Players Feel About RNG in Video Games

Hardcore and competitive gamers don’t like the RNG reward systems. They would rather have a reward system that allows them to achieve the goal they are working towards. However, casual players don’t mind and are actually very excited when they get a rare item or massive power-up by chance. Those who like to experiment and try out new things also love this reward structure. Luckily, developers are aware of how their users feel. So, there is almost always an option for players to turn their rewards into crafting materials and use those materials to get what they want. 

 

It’s difficult to cater to all player groups, but this method really seems to work. RNG is also an important factor in competitive gaming. In Hearthstone, many cards can have an incredible impact on the board because their effect is entirely random. This randomness can help a new and weaker player beat someone who is an expert. In a way, RNG is also used here as a tool for achieving fairness and giving everyone a fighting chance.