Editing Fear of missing out

'''Fear of missing out (FOMO)''' is a psychological phenomenon where a person feels like they are missing out on something that could improve or make life more enjoyable for themselves.<ref>https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/07/29/fomo-history/</ref>

As it relates to negative business practices, FOMO refers to the use of time limited availability to instill a (sometimes false) sense of urgency in users, causing them to devote more time and/or money in order to acquire a product, service, or digital item.

By exploiting this feeling in consumers, companies can:

# profit off users believing they won't be able to get the goods or service at a later date.
# in the case of digital goods; pad usage metrics by forcing users to spend more time using a product to unlock a certain item or feature.
# profit by preying on users' impatience, should they elect not to devote the time needed to unlock the item or feature without spending money.

== Notable Examples ==

=== Battle Passes ===
The implementation of [[wikipedia:Battle pass|battle pass]] and seasonal mechanics have become an increasingly common occurrence in video games, particularly multiplayer focused titles. The concept gained popularity as a more attractive alternative to [[wikipedia:Loot box|loot boxes]], games as a service, and traditional paid-DLC. Battle passes gained widespread industry use after the wildly successful implementation of the concept in ''Fortnite Battle Royale'' by [[Epic Games]] in 2018 <ref>https://www.vg247.com/fortnite-battle-royale-gets-dota-2-style-battle-pass-loads-of-new-items</ref>. Since then, games such as ''Call of Duty'', ''Diablo IV'', and ''Fallout 76'' have implemented battle passes and seasons with some variations.

Battle passes are usually either free with limitations, or paid for through microtransactions. Typically, the free pass may have a very limited number of tiers or offer fewer or less-desirable rewards, but will track a user's progression through the paid-for battle pass, allowing them to buy that battle pass at any time within the allotted season to collect the rewards. A battle pass is typically structured into multiple tiers. By earning enough experience to complete a tier, the user gains the rewards offered at that tier and can then start on the next tier. More desirable rewards are provided at higher tiers, which offer a way for users to show off these unique customization options to other users as a status symbol. Experience is gained through normal gameplay, and often through in-game challenges, while some games offer a way to accelerate progression through a battle pass by using additional microtransactions. At the end of the season - which can typically last for a month or more; the battle pass is replaced by a new one, and the previous rewards become unobtainable. This is true for both free and paid-for battle passes. <ref>https://www.pcgamer.com/battle-passes-are-replacing-loot-boxes-but-theyre-not-necessarily-a-better-deal/</ref>

While battle passes are more transparent about their rewards than loot boxes, they force users to invest a substantial amount of time into a game in order reach rewards they might want within the allotted timeframe of a season. This can play into a user's impatience and fear of missing out, and might cause them to spend additional money on microtransactions to advance the battle pass without grinding.

It is worth noting that not all games have battle passes that expire at the end of a season. For example, both free and paid-for battle passes in '''Halo Infinite''' are always available to users even after their respective seasons have ended, though it is still necessary to grind through tiers in order to unlock all the rewards. <ref>https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408373413268-Halo-Infinite-Battle-Pass-Free-to-Play-FAQ</ref>

== References ==

[[Category:Common terms]]