What Are Collecting Online Games?
Collecting online games are a genre of video games where the primary goal is to collect in-game items, creatures, or resources as part of the gameplay experience. These games often revolve around gathering, discovering, or unlocking various objects that can be used for progression, improvement, or simply for completing a collection. The collection can be anything from cards, pets, characters, resources, achievements, or even rare virtual items. The act of collecting in these games serves as a driving force for gameplay, encouraging players to explore, engage, and continue playing to collect everything the game has to offer.
Collecting games can vary widely in terms of their mechanics and themes, but they all share the common trait of rewarding players for accumulating and completing sets of items or achievements. Whether through exploring vast worlds, opening packs of cards, or completing challenges, collecting games tap into the human desire for completion and discovery, often providing a sense of achievement and satisfaction when players acquire rare or difficult-to-find items.
Types of Collecting Online Games
- Card Collecting Games
In card collecting games, players collect virtual cards that represent characters, creatures, spells, or abilities. The goal is often to build powerful decks or collect rare cards to compete against other players. Some games feature random “pulls” or packs of cards, similar to trading card games (TCGs), creating excitement around collecting rare or limited-edition cards.- Example: Hearthstone – A digital card game where players collect cards to build their decks and battle other players. Rare cards are highly sought after for their strategic advantages.
- Creature or Monster Collecting Games
These games center around collecting creatures or monsters that players can catch, train, or evolve. These games often encourage exploration, as players must find or unlock new creatures through gameplay or challenges.- Example: Pokémon Go – A popular augmented reality (AR) game where players collect different species of Pokémon by exploring the real world. The goal is to complete the Pokédex by catching as many unique creatures as possible.
- Item and Resource Collecting Games
In these games, players collect various in-game resources, items, or materials to craft, trade, or upgrade their inventory. The items collected can serve as vital resources for progressing in the game or building new things.- Example: Minecraft – A sandbox game where players collect resources like wood, ores, and food to craft tools, build structures, and survive in the game world.
- Achievement and Trophy Collecting Games
Achievement or trophy collecting games focus on unlocking in-game goals, badges, or trophies. Players are motivated to complete various challenges, milestones, or tasks to unlock achievements, many of which are shared on platforms like PlayStation or Steam.- Example: Steam Achievements – Steam games often include achievement systems, where players can collect trophies or badges by completing specific tasks in the game, such as completing levels or reaching specific milestones.
- Gacha or Loot Box Collecting Games
Gacha games are based on the idea of collecting random items or characters, often using a loot box or “gacha” system. Players can “pull” or “roll” for rewards, with rare items or characters being highly sought after. These games frequently incorporate microtransactions, allowing players to buy more pulls or attempts at collecting these rare items.- Example: Genshin Impact – A popular action RPG with a gacha system where players collect characters and weapons by spending in-game currency on “wishes” (loot boxes), with the goal of completing a collection of powerful characters.
- Pet Collecting Games
In pet collecting games, players capture, breed, and care for virtual pets. These games often feature a wide variety of pets with different abilities or appearances, and the goal is to collect as many as possible while raising and evolving them.- Example: Neopets – A classic virtual pet game where players collect and raise different creatures. The game allows for extensive customization of pets and encourages players to collect rare items and pets.
- Fashion or Skin Collecting Games
In these games, the focus is on collecting virtual clothing, accessories, or skins for characters, often to personalize them or make them stand out. These games may offer a variety of customization options to allow players to create unique looks for their avatars.- Example: Fortnite – Players collect skins, emotes, and other cosmetic items for their avatars. Skins are frequently released as part of seasonal events, making some items rare and highly coveted.
- Treasure Hunting and Exploration Games
These games revolve around exploration, where players search for hidden treasures or rare items in expansive worlds. Often, players uncover secrets, solve puzzles, or defeat enemies to collect valuable artifacts or resources.- Example: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Players explore a vast open world to collect items, materials, and weapons. Collecting resources and completing quests is central to the progression of the game.
Key Features of Collecting Online Games
- Exploration and Discovery
Many collecting games require players to explore expansive worlds, environments, or locations to uncover new items, creatures, or resources. The sense of discovery is a central element that drives engagement and immersion. - Randomized Elements
Some collecting games, particularly those with gacha mechanics, rely on randomness to make the collection process more exciting. Players may have to “pull” for rare characters or items, creating an element of surprise and anticipation. - Progression and Upgrades
Collecting online games often feature systems of progression, where the items or characters that players collect can be leveled up, evolved, or upgraded. This allows for deeper strategic gameplay, as the value of collected items increases over time. - Completionism
Many collecting games encourage players to complete full sets of items, creatures, or achievements. This sense of completionism drives players to continue playing, as there is always a new item to collect or a new goal to achieve. - Social and Competitive Elements
Some collecting games include competitive or social aspects where players can compare their collections, trade items, or compete against others. These features can add a layer of motivation, as players may strive to have the largest or rarest collection. - Time-Limited Events
Many collecting games feature special events or limited-time challenges where players can collect rare items or characters that are only available for a short period. This creates a sense of urgency and excitement, pushing players to log in regularly or participate actively during these events. - Customization and Personalization
Players often have the ability to personalize or customize the items they collect, whether it’s dressing up a character with skins, customizing a pet, or using collected materials to create new structures or tools.
Popular Collecting Online Games
- Pokémon Go
In Pokémon Go, players collect Pokémon by exploring the real world. The game’s augmented reality feature allows players to catch various species and complete the Pokédex. Special events and challenges encourage players to collect new, rare, or limited-edition Pokémon. - Genshin Impact
This action RPG uses a gacha system for character and weapon collecting. Players can spend in-game currency or real money to unlock new characters, each with unique abilities. Collecting a complete set of powerful characters is a key objective for many players. - Hearthstone
Hearthstone is a collectible card game where players build decks from a collection of cards representing spells, characters, and abilities. Players can open packs to collect new cards, striving to unlock the rarest and most powerful ones to build competitive decks. - Minecraft
In Minecraft, collecting resources and materials is crucial to progression. Players gather items like wood, ores, and food to craft tools and build structures. The game encourages exploration and resource collection through its expansive world and crafting system. - Fortnite
Fortnite is a battle royale game that focuses heavily on collecting skins, emotes, and other cosmetic items. Players can earn or purchase new items through seasonal battle passes, with rare skins often tied to limited-time events. - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players collect various items, including furniture, clothing, fish, and insects. The game encourages players to collect and organize these items while customizing their islands and building their dream villages. - Neopets
Neopets is an online virtual pet game where players collect different species of pets, care for them, and engage in activities like battling or trading. The game has an extensive collection of virtual goods that players can collect and trade in the game’s marketplace.
Conclusion
Collecting online games are a popular and engaging genre that taps into the natural human desire to gather, complete, and explore. Whether through collecting cards, creatures, items, or achievements, these games provide players with a sense of progression and accomplishment. The thrill of discovering rare items, completing sets, and collecting everything the game has to offer is what makes these games so addictive.
With various types of collection-based gameplay, from gacha mechanics to exploration and customization, there’s something for every type of player. The social and competitive aspects often introduced in these games provide additional motivation, as players compare their collections or trade items. Whether it’s for the joy of discovery, the satisfaction of completing a set, or the excitement of unlocking rare content, collecting online games continue to captivate players across the globe, offering endless opportunities for engagement and fun.