As with many videogames, intrinsic motivators come in the form of visual or audio cues (for example, when one chainsaws an opponent in Gears of War, he is rewarded with satisfying images and sounds that depict his opponent being eviscerated). Motivators aren't relegated to being solely intrinsic, however.
Satisfaction may also be derived from extrinsic motivators. Ostentatious examples of such would be the "high-score" mechanic many arcade games have. Recent examples of extrinsic motivators would be the "Achievements" and "Trophies" systems found on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, respectively. Relying on a player's incentive to collect these extrinsic rewards, game developers hope to extend the life and playability of their games, while at the same time, encouraging players to experiment with new playing styles. You, as a player, are provoked to continue playing a game due to the way it subtly nudges you forward.
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In actuality, though, motivators may be detrimental to certain videogames. Loss of a motivator is not necessarily the end of the fun in a game. One can easily see the benefits of the loss of such. Vexing though it may be for the developers, the loss or exclusion of extrinsic motivators can be beneficial to the player. Examining the nature of some achievements, we can see that the player must go through great lengths to obtain them. You may regard some as tedious, time consuming, or just flat-out difficult. One could also call them, "total bullshit". Unless these "difficult" achievements don't exist in games, people may be unwilling to play them. Although some determined individuals may enjoy going to extreme lengths, the average "Achievement Whore" probably won't. Looking at past trends, we can see that many of these people simply pick easier games (from which to obtain achievements). Extrinsic motivators, although "motivating", can actually erode one's will to play. Xenomorphic blessings come in unexpected forms, no?
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