Many live service titles thrive on one unspoken truth: your time is currency. The longer a game can keep you playing — whether through genuinely engaging mechanics or more manipulative tactics — the more likely it is that you’ll be nudged toward spending on microtransactions. It’s not always malicious, but it’s becoming increasingly obvious.

I’ve reached a point where I no longer want to pour hours into games that don’t seem to value my time. And I think more of us are starting to feel the same way.