Real and virtual Worlds - The Game Love Nikki dress up queen analyzed from the poetics of agency

The object of this study the mobile game Love Nikki Dress up Queen, a collecting game, was analysed from the perspective of the agency's poetics, relating the agency in this game with the predisposition of players in spending real money to purchase items present only within the game. The close reading method was used to carry out this research - the game was played for 30 consecutive days and all the information obtained was grouped in a scheme for further analysis. It was noticed that the player's motivation to spend real money within this game is stimulated by what was called the Love Nikki agency cycle. First, completing a level and collecting the rewards brings satisfaction, awakening the feeling of agency. However, there are clothing sets that the player will not be able to complete without spend money, so the feeling of satisfaction is transformed into frustration, the agency is broken.