Video games often aim to make players feel powerful, skilled, and in control. Yet, some titles turn this notion on its head… Falling short is not punished, it is celebrated. Dwarf Fortress and RimWorld, for instance, are based on chaos, unpredictability, and disaster. Not only do players accept failure, they embrace it with the motto: “Losing is fun.”
But why do some gamers enjoy it where things can (and usually do) go drastically awry? Why are they so interesting even when they culminate in disaster? Let’s dive into the psychology behind these experiences and why failure can be more entertaining than success. With this bullet-proof mindset, you can become the next certified victor at Vave casino when playing with all your friends!
What Are Procedural Storytelling Games?
Procedural storytelling games produce random events, characters, and challenges as opposed to being scripted. This contrasts with traditional games where the story is fixed. Instead, users get novel, yet unpredictable stories founded on individual decisions and chance.
Key Examples:
- Dwarf Fortress – A complex, ASCII-based simulation where players manage a dwarven settlement. Everything from goblin invasions to tantrum-spiraling dwarves can lead to disaster.
- RimWorld – A sci-fi colony sim where survival depends on managing resources, relationships, and random events like raids, diseases, and psychic drones.
- Kenshi – A brutal open-world RPG where losing limbs, getting enslaved, or starving to death is part of the journey.
Why Do Players Enjoy Losing?
At first glance, it seems counterintuitive to enjoy things where failure is inevitable, but psychology and game design explain why this is so rewarding:
1. Failure Creates Better Stories
Nobody remembers a flawless victory as vividly as a spectacular disaster, so when a dwarf goes berserk and starts a tavern brawl, or a colonist in RimWorld loses their mind and sets the base on fire, it becomes legendary.
- Emergent storytelling – The best tales come from unplanned chaos. An entire colony might collapse because a pet squirrel started a chain reaction of violence. These absurd, unexpected events stick in memory far longer than a scripted cutscene.
- Personal investment – Because people build their own bases, train their own colonists, or raise their own dwarves, losses feel personal, and that makes the stories more engaging.
2. The Thrill of Unpredictability
Humans crave novelty, and such games deliver endless surprises, keeping them on their toes:
- No two playthroughs are the same – A RimWorld colony might die to a manhunting pack of rabbits in one match and a solar flare in the next.
- Adapting is part of the fun – When disaster strikes, people must improvise. Do you sacrifice a colonist to save the rest? Do you abandon your fortress and start anew? These tough choices make the round feel alive.
3. Learning Through It
These titles treat failure as part of the experience:
- Each loss teaches something new – A wiped-out fortress in Dwarf Fortress might teach the player about better defense strategies or the dangers of alcohol shortages.
- Progress comes from mistakes – Players often return stronger, wiser, and ready to face new disasters.
The Role of Dark Humor
When things go wrong in these matches, they often go wrong in hilarious ways:
Why We Laugh at Disaster
- Absurdity softens the blow – When disaster is over-the-top, it becomes comedy rather than frustration.
- Shared suffering – Online communities bond over their worst losses, turning disasters into inside jokes.
How This Encourages ‘Losing is Fun’
Not every game can make failure enjoyable, so how do these titles do it?
Permadeath and Consequences
- If failure just meant reloading a save, users wouldn’t care as much, but when losses are permanent, every decision matters.
- RimWorld and Dwarf Fortress don’t have traditional “win” states, as surviving as long as possible is the goal.
Detailed Simulation Systems
- The more complex the world, the more ways things can go wrong.
- Dwarf Fortress simulates everything from individual dwarves’ emotions to fluid dynamics, leading to unexpected disasters like flooding caused by a forgotten bucket.
