Definition

Sinks and sources.

Also called: Currency sinks, Faucets and sinks

The flows of a virtual economy: sources create currency or resources (rewards, drops); sinks remove them (upgrades, purchases, consumables).

An economy stays healthy when sinks keep pace with sources. Too many sources and currency inflates, prices lose meaning and rewards stop motivating; too many sinks and the game feels stingy.

Every reward is a source that changes what players do next — which is why reward design and economy design are the same problem.

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