60% Happy

What game design can tell us about the nature of happiness

Credit: Piret Ilver

Does evolution want us to be happy? I’m starting to think no. Instead, it appears that evolution wants us to be happy only 60% of the time. Everywhere I look, the number 60% shows up. If you look at happiness studies, learning theory, and game design (specifically D&D and slot machines), they all point to 60% as this magic number. If this is true…