If not overly manipulative or overly forced on the player, they can be a fun bonus for the game. Overwatch 1 comes to mind as an example, and War Thunder’s battlepass missions are sometimes good.That said, it should be basically offering an alternative approach to playing, rather than the more abusive, “Log in daily and grind for 8 hours” that is so common. “Play 3 arcade mode games for a free skin” is encouraging you to take a break from comp and try a more casual mode. Its a great way to reward less serious play. “Kill 3 enemies with small, medium, and large caliber guns for a new decal.” encourages trying new equipment and playing off-meta equipment. Theres lots of boons for this sort of content (if implemented well), regardless of the monitization.
Edit: To put it another way, players optimize the fun out of games - examples could be playing only the meta, or taking the game way too seriously. Good battlepasses and missions encourage trying other ways to play for variety or for fun.
If not overly manipulative or overly forced on the player, they can be a fun bonus for the game. Overwatch 1 comes to mind as an example, and War Thunder’s battlepass missions are sometimes good.That said, it should be basically offering an alternative approach to playing, rather than the more abusive, “Log in daily and grind for 8 hours” that is so common. “Play 3 arcade mode games for a free skin” is encouraging you to take a break from comp and try a more casual mode. Its a great way to reward less serious play. “Kill 3 enemies with small, medium, and large caliber guns for a new decal.” encourages trying new equipment and playing off-meta equipment. Theres lots of boons for this sort of content (if implemented well), regardless of the monitization.
Edit: To put it another way, players optimize the fun out of games - examples could be playing only the meta, or taking the game way too seriously. Good battlepasses and missions encourage trying other ways to play for variety or for fun.