Minigames are everywhere, but devs have their reasons

polygon.com:

These days, when you buy a game, there’s a good chance you get something extra. Whether we’re talking large AAA releases or indie titles, minigames are all the rage — and a few have taken on new life after release.

Minigames have been around for almost as long as video games have, but the most recent trend of the game within a game being a near-requirement can be pegged to The Witcher 3 and the introduction of Gwent. While this in-universe card game had been referenced in the Witcher books, it was brought to life by developer CD Projekt Red and was such a hit with players l that it was spun off as a stand-alone title in 2018 across all platforms, including mobile. CDPR even tried its hand at making Gwent a popular esport.

Gwent’s success as an open-world-bolstering minigame and its legacy as a stand-alone form of fun has become the foundation on which other developers have built their own in-game distractions. From Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Orlogto the copious amounts of ones throughout the Yakuza series to Queen’s Blood in the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, minigames have become almost essential to the 100-plus-hour game experience.

I break down in-game minigames into three categories. First, there’s the fishing (or other crafting-based) minigame, popularized in the Legend of Zelda series and other open-world or survival titles. They might differ mechanically, but the end result is that you have some fish, resources, or a valuable reward. The second involves putting previously existing games inside other ones, such as how you can play the entirety of a version of Wolfenstein 3D in Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus.

The type of minigame rising in popularity is the third category: the in-universe, original, optional minigame. Many games, like Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto V,feature real-world games like poker or golf. They’re easy to pick up and understand since they exist in our world, and in most cases, don’t contribute much to the overall immersion.