How to design progression in games?

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁:

🔄 Mastery loop: skills deepen, challenges scale
🚀 Power curve: stats and tools unlock at spikes
📖 Narrative stakes: story reveals gated by milestones
⚖️ Economy sync: resources earned ≈ resources needed

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼:

🎁 Early game = instant gratification (starter kit, easy wins)
🛤️ Mid-game = branching choices, role definition
👑 Late-game = prestige, exclusive rewards, social proof

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹:
Act → Reward → Invest → Unlock → Repeat

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻, 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳:
• Does every 5-minute chunk move the player forward?
• Can veterans show off without breaking balance?
• Is the slowest path still fun for free players?
• Do live-ops accelerate, not replace, the main ladder?

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:
✅ Clear short-term goals
✅ Visible medium-term goals
✅ Compelling long-term goals
✅ Balanced time-to-goal (1 min, 1 hr, 1 week arcs)
✅ Fail-forward friction (setbacks cost some progress, never all)

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸: 📊
• Level completion rate (85–95%)
• Daily quests finished (50%+)
• End-game feature usage (60 min/week)
• Upgrade conversion (3–5%)

Progression is both science and art.
Design it well, and players will keep climbing your ladder.

Which progression system do you think keeps players hooked the most?