Without RNG, most video games would end up getting very boring, very quickly. RNG stands for ‘Random Number Generator’ and it refers to an algorithm embedded within a game that allows the game to produce random results. A great example of how RNG works can be found in the classic game, Tetris. Remember how all the variously shaped boxes fall from the top of the game? And how the aim of the game is to place all the random shapes into the best space in order to create a complete line of blocks? Well, imagine if you already knew the exact order that each shape would fall? Imagine if that order never changed, and how easy it would be to conquer Tetris once you’d memorised the order of the falling blocks. That’s where RNG steps in to save the day. It is thanks to RNG that all the differently shaped blocks fall in a random order, and that as a player you never know what shape will fall next. RNG makes the game feel fresh every time that you play.
RNG Games at High Payout Casinos
The online casino industry relies heavily on RNG technology. It would be impossible to play slot games at casinos with high payouts as recommended by this trusted source, without RNG. Without RNG, an online casino could easily manipulate a slot game to ensure that the game only every pays out small amounts, and that large jackpots only get won once in a blue moon. The RNG within each slot game is there to ensure that every spin of every reel is truly random. The same goes for online table games, such as video poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps. When you play these games, your opponent is the game itself, and each card that is dealt is done so using RNG.
It should be noted that the RNG within a slot game, for example, can be set to produce certain results. You may have noticed that slot games have what’s called an RTP percentage. RTP stands for ‘Return to Player’, and the percentage refers to how often the slot game is likely to pay out a jackpot. Most slot games have an RTP approximately 95% The RNG is programmed to meet these targets, so while the spins remain random, the algorithm will come up with matching symbols at least 95% of the time a player spends spinning the reels.
RNG Loot Boxes
Over the last few years, loot boxes within video games have become increasingly common. A loot box is usually offered to players in return for real money. The price of the loot box varies from game to game, but the premise is essentially the same: you pay a small amount for a loot box in the hope that the contents within the box are worth more than you paid. Once the loot box has been paid for, the contents are revealed, and those contents are decided by an RNG. In this case, the RNG is usually tweaked to ensure that the loot boxes sometimes contain an item that is specifically needed in that moment. For example, if a player is playing Overwatch, the more they play, the better the rewards within each loot box. This encourages the player to play for longer, to play with friends, and to purchase more loot boxes.
The whole concept of the loot box has come under fire recently from groups that equate loot boxes with gambling. And it is hard to argue otherwise. Paying for a loot box without knowing the contents of said box, is akin to gambling on the random outcome of a reel spin of card deal. Gamers have been known to spend an absolute fortune on loot boxes, and there is a legitimate concern that loot boxes in games aimed at young players encourages to underage gambling and can lead to problematic behaviour.
RNG in Skill-Based Games
RNG is not just used to produce loot boxes in video games, it is also used to ensure that the difficulty level within a game remains fresh. Many players grumble at the very mention of RNG because they assume that the use of RNG goes against the idea that a player needs skill rather than luck to master a game. However, in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, for example, RNG is used to within the game to regulate how bullets will hit certain targets. And in DOTA 2 RNG is responsible for determining the number of times that a particular ability will be able to affect an opponent, for example when it comes to Damage Spread, Miss Chance and so forth. It is the RNG present within games like these that make the game unpredictable, which in turn actually makes the game more difficult. Of course, game designers have to be careful with their use of RNG in these types of skill-based games because too many RNG elements can lead to an overdose of ‘beginner’s luck’. And nothing upsets a dedicated gamer more than when a total beginner manages to enter a game and reach a level in the blink of an eye simply because luck is on their side.
To RNG or not to RNG?
RNG can sometimes be spoken of in a decidedly scornful tone, especially by eSports players or live poker players. But the reality is that without RNG most video games just wouldn’t be worth playing. Not all gamers are professional eSports players or poker sharks. Many of us extremely excited by the idea of betting on a random spin of the reel on an RNG slot game. And most of us are super happy when lady luck steps in and hands us a weapon or skill set that we so desperately need to get to the next level of our favourite game. If you are determined to avoid RNG, then by all means seek out games that don’t use it, but let’s not make RNG the enemy because most of the time RNG makes the whole gaming experience a lot more fun.
