This seems like a good time to mention this site DarkPattern.games[0] which lists mobile games that utilize such things as loot boxes, etc. and actually has quite some granularity over the different types of mechanics and how that game rates for those. For example, games which force you to wait some duration of time before being able to proceed, or force you to watch an ad, or other things like that.
"A gaming dark pattern is something that is deliberately added to a game to cause an unwanted negative experience for the player with a positive outcome for the game developer."
The site also lists games which rank very well in this regard, and _don't_ contain such dark patterns. IMO a great place to find some games which actually show some respect for the person playing the game. :)
Some of these are not specific to computer games, some not specific to games (in general), and some are OK in some circumstances (but they often do it worse). Some are common even in older games, and aren't new. If the game is properly isolated, if you do not have to pay every time, if the documentation could be improved, could improve some things. Many kinds of games should not require an internet connection to work. However, these are not the only problems with computer games. In addition to unskippable advertisements, there are games with unskippable cutscenes, slow animations, etc. FOSS can also usually avoid such thing, fortunately. I make up computer games too and it avoids them.
In another comment you've admitted to spending $10k on some games, so clearly the patterns are doing their job.
These things are specifically made to create a strong addiction and wring the max possible amount of money out of people whether they can afford it or not. If you are in the former camp then you do you, but it doesn't make them not dark.
The games I like grinding in (Factorio/Satisfactory, survival games) and with guilds (World of Warcraft) are not the same I spend money in. I feel it's unfair to use another unrelated comment of mine and make assumptions on that.
The rest of the mechanics (especially the ones making me spend money) I have no problem calling dark patterns.
Then the site mostly agrees with you on that, and I do as well. These things are only dark patterns because they usually interlock with the money sinks. I'd say they still mostly cater to an addictive personality, but it's a very mild vice when the game's design doesn't follow the incentive to cash in on that.
"A gaming dark pattern is something that is deliberately added to a game to cause an unwanted negative experience for the player with a positive outcome for the game developer."
The site also lists games which rank very well in this regard, and _don't_ contain such dark patterns. IMO a great place to find some games which actually show some respect for the person playing the game. :)
[0] https://www.darkpattern.games/