Grinding (video games)

Grinding is a term within video game culture that describes time spent in the game in which a player repeats a general task in order to gain rewards like in-game currency, in-game experience, player stats or other reward types. The method was first seen in dnd, and though there are many adaptations of it, it has since become an entire category of gameplay.

The term "grinding" itself comes from the general human culture of working hard, or "putting the axe to the grindstone." A related term in gaming is "farming," which is a similar act of repeated action with intention to get a reward.

Motivation

A player is commonly motivated to grind due to a desire to earn rewards, gather resources, or increase their level. Alternatively, some people may enjoy repetitive tasks for the purpose of relaxation, especially if the task has a consistently positive result. MMORPGs often require grinding, which is achieved through a progression system. These systems vary from game to game but tend to involve some form of point allocation.

Approaches

Regular grinding

For some games, grinding is an integral part of the gameplay and is required if the player wants to make significant progress. In some cases, progression may be entirely negated if the player does not grind enough, for example an area necessary for the story may be locked until a certain action is repeated a certain amount of times to prove the experience of the player. Examples of games with grinding include:

RuneScape requires the player to partake in repetitive tasks to level up skills.