Home ➾ Blog ➾ Bartle Player Types: Achievers

Achievers – one of the four Bartle Player Types – can be real die-hards. A game is about constant progression and mastery. Finishing lists. Having the best of the best. Completing sets.

The social side of the game happens to be part of it. The occasional player-versus-player combat is also fine. But in the end, all of this is a distraction from what the game is all about…

It’s a lot easier to design features for a game – ones that are well-received – if you know how your players prefer to approach the experience.

This deep dive is a sequal to Bartle Player Types: Introduction and Overview.

We turn our eyes to the Achievers; those who are at the top of the leaderboards, have all the bars at 100%, and probably own items that you don’t have.

1. What do Achievers want from a game?

It’s about drive, it’s about power, we stay hungry, we devour! 🎤

Achievers are very competitive. This can be in competition with other players, but also with themselves.

Winning. Challenging. Comparing.

Fun comes from gaining points, rising in levels, collecting achievements, and completing a set. There must be a constant sense of progression, advancement, and getting better.

The purpose of playing is to complete and master the game. Filling all the bars.

Mastery. Collecting. Everything at 100%. Completing.

They enjoy the recognition they receive for their achievements (and sometimes the speed with which they achieved it). This is the status Achievers seek.

Showoff. Status.

Game features for Achievers 🏆

▪️  Points
▪️  Achievements
▪️  Streaking
▪️  Badges
▪️  Leaderboards
▪️  Progress bars
▪️  Collection sets
▪️  Boss fights
▪️  Quest lists
▪️  Chain combos
▪️  Rewards
▪️  Levels
▪️  Unlockables
▪️  Tiers
▪️  Milestones
▪️  Gradations
▪️  Brag effects
▪️  Preset goals
▪️  Collectables
▪️  Comparing options
▪️  Rare items
▪️  Difficulty

A note on Achievers and status 📜

A number of blogs and self-made models on Google Images give the wrong impression, in my opinion.

Often, the word ‘status‘ is only used with the Achievers, without further explanation. Okay okay, you’re right, some take it a bit further: ‘status is important‘.

Status is indeed important for Achievers, but it is just as important to the other Player Types. They are just looking for status in a different domain.

The original sentence from the study reads: “Achievers are proud of their formal status in the game’s built-in level hierarchy, and of the short time it took them to reach it.“

The built-in level hierarchy, of course, often has a very close link to real life. Achievement, success, money, luxury items, better items, unique items, high in the formal ranks, etc.

That is status, right?

It depends.

Status is the relative social or professional position you have in the eyes of others. You have little status in a group of Socializers, Explorers, or Killers if you show up with points, money, and luxury items (unless you got those luxury items in a domain of their interest).

In short, you will miss the boat with the other Player Types if you don’t realise that they are also looking for status, but in their own way.

Achievers want to do things in the game; action from them to the world 🌍🏆

As the quadrant shows, the Achievers fall under Acting and World. The world offers opportunities on which the Achievers respond. They act on the world.

Explorers, on the other hand, seek much more interaction with the world.

So, in effect, you are developing more mechanics for Achievers by focusing on the world and environment. Make sure it has enough to offer, to which Achievers can respond.

Think of enlarging the world, so there is more to achieve.

Achievers enjoy the fact that a game environment is a full-fledged world in which they can immerse themselves. The presence of other players just adds some authenticity… and, of course, a competitive element.

Mastery is also an important factor, aided by extensive level systems, as well as challenging boss fights, and large puzzles that take over an hour to complete.

Oh, and of course increase the rewards for achievements.

2. How do Achievers view other players?

You just don’t understand the meaning of playing… 🙄

Last but not least, it allows us to understand the worldview of a specific Player Type even better with insights into how different Player Types view each other.

⚠️ The following paragraphs are a brief summary of Bartle’s research and are based on stereotype Achievers. They should not be taken as automatically true for any individual player who shows common characteristics with the Achievers archetype.

Achievers vs. Achievers 🏆🏆

Achievers see each other as competitors. They can certainly respect an Achiever who is ahead of them, but these gaps are often rationalised with an excuse, such as lack of time and bad luck.

The competition, however, is usually friendly in nature and it regularly happens for these players to actually work together, in order to achieve a difficult collective goal.

Achievers vs. Explorers 🏆🤠

Achievers see Explorers as weaklings. Because they wouldn’t cut it as a ‘normal’ player, they look for shortcuts in alternative ways and small hacks.

What they do is generally pointless, but an Explorer can come in handy when you need to know a certain tactic quickly.

The presence of Explorers helps Achievers progress through the game faster. They don’t have to figure out all those endless puzzles by themselves.

But yes, they can be annoying. Explorers often give half the information and in cryptic ways, rather than in a direct way and without any bullshit.

Achievers vs. Socializers 🏆💬

Socializers are just barely tolerated. They are useful as ears and eyes for their latest achievements, but otherwise Achievers think of Socializers as a waste of space.

They often address Socializers in a sharp and condescending manner and regard them with a mixture of contempt, irritation, and pity.

Achievers vs. Killers 🏆💀

Achievers are no big fans of Killers, but they realise the group being necessary to keep the game meaningful. Without Killers, it all becomes too easy and eventually anyone can follow in their footsteps (however slowly).

Achievers themselves are no pushovers and Killers can offer a worthy fight.