When Microsoft launched the XBOX 360 in 2005, a seldom used new aspect of gaming, achievements, became immediately popularized. While not the first to include such a system for rewarding players for completing various tasks in games, Microsoft blanketed all games on their system with the Achievement Gamerscore meta-game. Later, Sony too, jumped on board, adding a similar system of rewards to its games on the Playstation 3 with the Trophy System. These intangible merit badges offer little more than proof of accomplishing an action within a game. But their existence has come to change the way we all play games. But is this change a welcome addition to gaming, or something that the industry needs to rethink?