How Every Game Can Benefit From the Element of Randomness

Randomness in games is as old as games themselves. While games started primarily random, the skill element of games is likely to have been perfected later. And while adding an element of skill can increase the longevity of a game and make it even more engaging, randomness is still a crucial factor in keeping a game fun and playable.

The unpredictability of randomness keeps things interesting and new, creating moments of suspense and also serving to even the ground between beginners and experienced players.

While most people know that randomness is essential in certain games, today we’ll argue that almost all games benefit from some element of randomness.

“Chance is the only way to keep certainty from getting boring.” – Raph Koster, A Theory of Fun for Game Design

Randomness Gives Every Player Hope – And Doubt

• If the players of a game are at mixed skill levels, some element of randomness in the game can even out the outcome and give the less experienced players a chance to win. 
• But it isn’t just that it gives new players hope that they could actually win. It’s also the fact that it provides even experienced players something to worry about – they can’t fully predict how each round will play out, meaning the excitement is still there.
• The very thrill of knowing you could win – but aren’t sure you will – makes the round more fun for everyone involved. 
• That’s true even for single-player games. That’s why games like Roulette are so popular. It’s not just the chance of winning money that makes it exciting, but also the knowledge that you might or might not win. You can’t control the outcome – you can make your choice and leave the rest to the spinning wheel.
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“Without uncertainty, there is no tension; without tension, there is no fun.” – Jesse Schell, The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses

Randomness Makes Games Replayable

• It isn’t just that each round becomes more fun; randomness in a game also makes the game more replayable!
• No two games are the same, even if the same players with the same tendencies are playing against each other. Games with randomness are less likely to become predictable or stale, making it fun to play with the same people again and again.
• In one sense, randomness presents endless new situations and endless new challenges. In video games, it’s like randomness helps create a unique level each time you play. 
• One of the reasons that Minecraft has become so popular isn’t just that it allows for endless creativity, but that the world generator can produce about 18 quintillion unique worlds – every time you generate a world, you’ll have no idea what to expect! It’s a new landscape each time, and that’s the real appeal of randomness in games.

Expert Opinion:

Game designer Mark Brown (Game Maker’s Toolkit) notes that “players are drawn to uncertainty because it promises discovery. Randomness gives games the illusion of infinite content.”

Randomness Introduces New Twists and Turns

• You might have made good choices in a game, but when randomness plays a significant role in the outcome of a game, that doesn’t mean smooth sailing from there. Likewise, it’s never too late to give up when massive luck can come along and save you at any time.
• In addition to evening the playing field for different skill levels, randomness evens the playing field when one player has clearly gotten a good or bad start. Both the leader and the underdog can stay engaged when luck has its way.
• It can also be exciting and almost comical to see how the leader is suddenly crushed by bad luck, or how someone unexpectedly rises due to seemingly unnatural good fortune. A game with randomness has twists and turns we wouldn’t see in a game that’s purely skill.
• The surprise moments have emotional value that translates to fun game stories and memories, too. 
• Many great party games rely on randomness to create a shock effect. Cards Against Humanity is a great example and wouldn’t be at all as funny if players could select any card from the deck to finish a prompt.

Randomness Forces Players to Adapt

• Adding randomness to a game ensures players can’t get too comfortable with the strategy they’ve chosen, and instead forces them to adapt constantly. 
• Take the cult-classic Plants vs Zombies. You might end up with a bunch of different types of zombies, which means your usual strategy doesn’t work, and you have to change the regular choices you make. This shakes you out of your routine – in other words, it engages you! 
• While games with just randomness might be fun once or twice, the entertaining games are those that let you apply your skill to an ever-changing situation. And that’s precisely what happens when a game has the correct ratio.

“A good player wins with strategy. A great player wins with strategy and chaos.” – Sid Meier, Civilization Creator

Expert Opinion:

According to psychologist Dr. Celia Hodent, author of The Gamer’s Brain, “randomness keeps the brain’s reward system active by balancing mastery with uncertainty. Players stay engaged because their strategies are always being tested.”

Concluding Thoughts on the Topic

Randomness makes games more fun – it’s that simple. At the same time, balance is essential, too. There needs to be probabilities that make sense, and you should be rewarded for using innovative strategies, at least most of the time. Otherwise, the game gets frustrating instead.

While you might not actively think of it, most of the games you enjoy – both video games and board games – likely already have randomness as a central part of the gameplay.

Next time you’re playing, see if you can spot each time randomness comes into play! If it’s a fun game you want to play again and again, chances are it’s more often than you think.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It discusses general design principles in gaming and should not be interpreted as gambling advice or financial guidance. Always play responsibly and check local laws before participating in any real-money gaming.

References

1. Schell, J. (2019). The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. CRC Press.
2. Koster, R. (2013). A Theory of Fun for Game Design. O’Reilly Media.
3. Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press.
4. Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press.
5. McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Penguin.
6. Hodent, C. (2017). The Gamer’s Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design. CRC Press.
7. Bogost, I. (2007). Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames. MIT Press.
8. Brown, M. (2020). Game Maker’s Toolkit (YouTube Channel).
9. Garfield, R. (Interview, GDC 2016). Balancing Luck and Skill in Game Design.