Why the Player Who Carries the Team Is Often the Most Undervalued

One player relaxing while the rest of the team works in the Gardenscapes garden, showing why the player who carries the team is often treated unfairly

Why does the player who carries a Gardenscapes team often feel the most undervalued? A look at social loafing, shared rewards, burnout, performance gaps, and the team leader’s role.

In almost every team-based game—not just Gardenscapes—there is one common pattern: some players contribute far more than others. That alone is not a problem. The real issue begins when the reward system and the team's social dynamics fail to recognize those differences.

As a result, the player who carries the team often starts to feel treated unfairly.

Social Loafing — When Some Players Rely on Others

In social psychology, the term Social Loafing describes the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group because they know others will make up for it.

In games, this usually means:

some players do only enough to qualify for the rewards
others play as much as necessary to make sure the team succeeds

In the end, however, nearly everyone receives the same rewards. This becomes especially noticeable during Team Bowling events, where a small number of players often produce most of the team's score.

Free Riding — Enjoying the Rewards Without Matching the Effort

Another well-known concept in group behavior is Free Riding. This occurs when someone benefits from the group's success without contributing a proportional amount of effort.

In Gardenscapes, this can happen when:

a handful of players carry the team's event performance
everyone receives essentially the same rewards
the team leader has not established a minimum participation requirement

Over time, this creates frustration and mental fatigue for the players who consistently contribute the most.

Performance Gap — Large Differences Within the Same Team

Many teams develop what is known as a Performance Gap—a significant difference between the highest-performing and lowest-performing members.

When the gap is relatively small, teams usually function smoothly. But when it becomes extreme:

top contributors feel like they are carrying everyone else
less active players may feel either pressure or complete indifference
tension often develops in the team chat

Even then, the game's reward system rarely makes meaningful distinctions between those levels of contribution. This is one reason why finding active players becomes one of the most important responsibilities of a team leader.

Reward Structure — When Effort Is Not Proportionally Rewarded

In game design, the term Reward Structure refers to how rewards are distributed based on player effort and performance.

When nearly everyone receives the same rewards regardless of contribution, the system:

fails to meaningfully reward exceptional effort
does little to discourage minimal participation

This is not necessarily poor game design. In many cases, it is an intentional decision intended to keep teams together and avoid constant member turnover. However, that decision comes at the expense of highly active players.

Why the Player Carrying the Team Burns Out First

In practice, the player who consistently carries the team usually experiences:

greater consumption of in-game resources
constant pressure to maintain high performance
a growing sense that the rewards are not distributed fairly

Even when there are no arguments or conflicts, psychological fatigue gradually builds up.

The Team Leader's Role in Reducing This Problem

A good team leader has the ability to reduce—or unintentionally increase—this imbalance. Effective leadership often includes:

gradually refreshing inactive members
setting reasonable participation goals for team events
applying a calm but consistent policy toward inactive players

These practices help narrow the performance gap while maintaining a healthy and respectful team environment, especially in teams that are trying to grow beyond a small active roster.

Why This Is a Team Dynamic, Not a Character Flaw

The most important point is that this problem is rarely about good or bad people. Instead, it emerges from the interaction between:

group psychology
the game's reward structure
the design of competitive team events

The same pattern appears in almost every game that relies on collective goals and shared rewards.

Conclusion

The player who carries the team is not undervalued because everyone else is lazy or unwilling to help. More often, it is because the game itself cannot—and frequently chooses not to—strongly differentiate rewards based on individual contribution.

The solution is not to expect every player to become a top performer. Instead, successful teams rely on clear expectations, balanced participation, and thoughtful leadership.

Otherwise, the most dedicated player will almost always be the first one to burn out.

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