Hi everyone!

In many games, character progression is a central pillar of the experience. Leveling up, increasing stats, unlocking abilities, or becoming visibly stronger often gives players a clear sense of reward and forward momentum.

That said, not every game relies on numerical progression. Some experiences focus more on atmosphere, storytelling, exploration, or puzzle-solving, where progress is less about stats and more about discovery, understanding, or changes in the world itself. In these cases, the player may not “grow stronger” in a traditional sense, but still feels progress through new information, access to areas, or shifts in tone and context.

This raises an interesting question:
Is character progression through stats and upgrades truly essential for player engagement, or is it more about expectation and habit?

For players:

• Do you feel more motivated when your character clearly improves over time?

• Can a game feel satisfying without levels, stats, or upgrades?

• What kind of progression matters most to you: mechanical, narrative, or emotional?

I’m curious to hear different perspectives, especially from players who enjoy slower, more atmospheric or unconventional experiences.

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Mechanical character progression matters to me and most players simply because the game accepts it. Higher levels, stats and more upgrades make the game easier and thus making achieving goal easier also. Then in higher level/stage/map/world, there are more stuffs, more XP etc which is easier to gain with higher stats which creates the basic game loop.

So yeah, this simple loop gives motivation for players to keep playing.

As for satisfying game without levels/stats/whatever, well it depends on the focus of the game. If the game focuses uncovering more areas and it could be done without levels/stats/etc, exploration could be satisfying.

It depends on the game.

If narrative's an important aspect then character progression becomes a big issue. It doesn't have to be your own character either. Following the stories of different NPCs can be a big reward if done well (first game I'm thinking of is Majora's Mask).

Skill progression is always good but, again, it has to be done well. If you level up just to fight a bunch of enemies who are more powerful, nothing really changes. Done badly, this can make the game worse. My example is another Zelda game- Tears of the Kingdom- which I loved but, the way I levelled up, meant each simple fight seemed to be taking forever (my defence increased, so did the monsters', but the weapons I was using, like bombs and fire didn't).

I think it's important to keep the player's interest, and keep offering them something new, and character progression is just one of many ways to do this- the levels can change, new mechanics can be added, new graphics, sound tracks, characters, twists the player didn't expect, subverting existing mechanics, etc. etc.

As much as I love RPGs, no, it's not necessary or even beneficial for every game.  For example, there are countless action and arcade games that have no permanent character progression (though many have temporary powerups).  Consider classic games like Ninja Gaiden, Contra, Castlevania, Streets of Rage, or Super Ghouls n' Ghosts.  Gameplay satisfaction in games like these primarily comes from building mastery and overcoming increasingly difficult challenges.  Beating them is memorable and feels great.  Of course some games in this style do have ability / stat progression (e.g. Megaman and especially the X series), but it isn't required.