As a hypothetical since I'm working on a game that may use this, how would you feel about the following? For a multiplayer .io-style game, you get a score per level, and a cumulative score. The top few players by cumulative score are shown to everyone and celebrated, etc. If you ever get zero points in a level though, you'll lose your cumulative score - unless you watch a video ad.

Is that acceptable, or does it feel like blackmail?

(FWIW I'm discussing this with a lot of other gamedevs too, but since you brought it up I figure you might have a "different community" opinion worth my knowing!)

In general, I think I'm happier with being rewarded for watching an ad, than being punished for not doing it.

I'm not a compulsive player either, so in the described situation I'd probably just end up with a permanent score of 0 while having some fun playing.

Disclaimer: I don't mind advertisements in general and I think they get a lot of undeserved hate, especially on HN, which I think is a bit funny since a lot of the folks here work at companies that wouldn't exist without lots of advertising.

I think it's a unique and interesting idea! I might only allow it once or twice because I think eventually the folks at the top of the cumulative score list will have just been the ones to watch the most ads, as opposed to the ones who are the best at your game. Or maybe something like you can watch an ad to keep your score but then you have to play that level again, and if you get a zero again you lose your cumulative score no matter what? Not sure how much that would change your mechanics.

It does not feel like blackmail to me especially if it's a limited-use type of thing.