Well, conflict is, pretty much, the backbone of any story, narrative, or motive. Has been for long.
Still, I’m not sure it’s all that relevant and necessary for a video game, I agree. Some of them just let me do things I can’t in real life, like building my stupid base on different planets and moons, or transforming the landscape for the sake of it.
I don’t know the term for this, but this is most likely related to projecting.
Basically, by treating the people you kind of want to be well or something, you’re kind of making a deal, subconsciously, with “the universe”, ultimately hoping that your good behavior is rewarded (sooner than later) and you get to be the rich one. Maybe part of it is about some instinct to submit, to follow a leader rather than to be one, too; maybe it’s about trying to signal to the powers that be that you’re good and should be rewarded.
Of course, all of this is a load of crap, but these are the relatively easier ways to think about things, which ends up to be less taxing on our (admittedly) lazy brain.
Bias be biasing.