If you have an account on Facebook, chances are that you’ve been sent some sort of request from someone you know, begging you to play this game or that game with them. And maybe you click on the game and decide to give it a go (just to help your friend, of course). Before you know it, you’re hooked. I, myself, have lost many hours playing Zuma Blitz or Candy Crush Saga. But what makes them so addicting?
Is it because they’re free to play? Everyone loves free entertainment. Maybe there are a couple of ads on the page, but they tend to be easy to ignore.
Is it their incredible simplicity? Most of them have simple rules that can only be broken with powerups that, obviously, must be purchased. However, they’re still easy, mindless entertainment.
Is it the ease with which you can compete with your friends? Scoreboards and leaderboards are generally easy to see, and some games even offer a chance for you to gloat when you beat a friend’s score.
Or is it just that it’s something to do when you’re procrastinating? For me, this is probably the closest answer to the truth. When I don’t want to do something, I’ll log in to Facebook and play Candy Crush until my lives hit zero.
Comment below with your Facebook game of choice or any theories you have as to why they’re so addicting.
Published: Aug 16, 2013 05:48 pm