Social
gaming is becoming increasingly popular. There are currently 7.49 billion
social gamers, up from 6.2 billion in 2012. By 2014, social gaming is estimated
to reach 50 percent of social network users and 34 percent of the total
Internet population. But, what exactly is social gaming? By definition, social
gaming is the activity or practice of playing an online game on a social media
platform. So, if you’re one of the 132.9 million people that play Candy Crush
Saga through Facebook, you’re a social gamer.
Social
gaming is a big business. It is estimated that by 2015 the U.S. social gaming
market will reach $5 billion. This money comes from combined sales of virtual
goods, advertising and lead generations or offers. Candy Crush alone makes more
than $230 million per year.
Currently
the top three social games are Candy Crush Saga, FarmVille 2 and Texas Hold’em.
These games all have more than 34 million monthly active users. Since Candy
Crush is currently number one, let’s talk about it a bit.
 |
| King |
I
have to admit, I am counted amount these statistics. I wouldn’t say that I am
addicted, but I am definitely a regular player. I like to start my day by
playing a couple of games while eating breakfast and most nights I play a few
games to unwind before I go to bed. I feel like everywhere I go people are
either talking about or playing Candy Crush. Just the other day I walked into
the break room at work and a coworker was intensely looking at his phone. I
caught a glimpse of the screen and said, “I see you play Candy Crush too.” His
response, “YEAH, THIS GAME IS SO ADDICTIVE!”
I
think addicting is a mild way to
describe it. Cult-like is better. A
friend of mine recently posted on Facebook, “Going to give Candy Crush a try.
Need to see what the hype is about.” I couldn’t help but respond, “One of us.
One of us.” It’s easy to understand my respond when Instagram has more than
436,000 photos tagged #candycrush and Etsy has an entire page dedicated to
Candy Crush inspired products. Some
people even move the date on phone forward by one day to trick the game to
receive more lives.
Candy
Crush earns so much money through the sale of boosts and extra moves that its
creator, King, has decided not to advertise. It has been reported that a
14-year-old boy spent $4,300 alone on the game.
Candy
Crush is so popular it has had a cameo in a Psy music video. The U.K. even
offers a residential rehabilitation program for self-proclaimed Candy Crush
addicts.
 |
| Westword.com |
Personally, I think this is a little over-the-top, but if you can find
a way to capitalize off Candy Crush you have to work it, right? In their
defense, Candy Crush does have 26 billion game plays each month.
Like
many, Candy Crush is one of my guilty pleasures. I hope to never need rehab,
but if you ever see me on the street with a glazed looked in my eyes and I’m
mumbling words like, “striped candy, jellies, chocolate or licorice” I’m not
longing for something sweet to eat. Get a smartphone in my hand quick and load
Candy Crush. I’m going through withdrawals.
Do
you play Candy Crush Saga or any other social games? What appeals to you about
them? Please share. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Sources:
Calderon, Arielle. “13
Disappointing Facts About Candy Crush.” BuzzFeed.com.
BuzzFeed Inc., 3 Sep. 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. <http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/disappointing-facts-about-candy-crush>
Culter, Kim-Mai. “King Quits
Advertising Since It Earns So Much on Candy Crush Purchases.” Techcrunch.com. AOL Inc., 12 June 2013.
Web. 12 Oct. 2013. <http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/12/king-quits-advertising-since-it-earns-so-much-on-candy-crush-purchases/>
“Social Gaming Industry –
Statistics & Trends.” Go-Gulf.com.
Go-Golf.com, 18 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013 <http://www.go-gulf.com/blog/social-gaming-industry/>
It's really ironic that before I logged in to respond to blog posts, I got distracted by Facebook (and more specifically Candy Crush). It wasn't until I had expended all my lives that I finally got down to work. So, funny you should mention it...
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'm still shocked to learn that Candy Crush generates $230m in revenue each year. Not to mention they don't even allow advertising?! Does this mean that all of that money is coming from the sale of virtual goods? That concept never ceases to amaze me. As the daughter of an avid WoW player, I'm used to the idea of somebody feeling the need to spend some dough on a virtual character in a make-believe pixel world. But there is no real ongoing plot with Candy Crush. Sure, there are little blips of storyline here and there, but you're not developing any sort of character, all the levels are pretty much the same, and eventually you'll figure out how to get through each level without spending any money. That is just INSANE for me to think there are people spending that kind of money on this game. But then again, it's just not my thing. I'd rather spend my money on tangible things!
I'm with you Dana, I'd rather spend my money on tangible goods as well, but some Candy Crush players feel differently. That $230 million in revenue per year is from the sale of virtual goods only.
DeleteExcellent article! I have never played Candy Crush Saga myself and I have no current plans to instal the app on my phone for obvious reasons. I do play an iphone game called Real Racer 3, a race car game in which you control the car’s movements by tilting your phone in your hands. You can also earn virtual money and prizes and then purchase better cars and different upgrades for your cars. The game links with your facebook account and allows you to race against your friends and compete with their best times and scores. I think the reason social gaming has become as popular as it is today is because it allows for friendly competition between you and your friends which promotes social interaction rather than just playing alone.
ReplyDeleteI know several people that play that game. Looks fun. If you haven't fallen down the Candy Crush rabbit hole yet stay far away. It's addicting,
DeleteI agree, this is an excellent blog! I too am a Candy Crush Saga addict. I decided to see what the type was all about and never thought I would play it several times a day...but somehow, it got me hooked. I didn't realize how many levels it has, until a friend of mine informed me that he was on level 300-something! I wonder what actually makes this game more addicting than the other games??? One thing I won't do is purchase additional "lives" to continue playing - I'll just wait for some time to pass or ask friends to send me some. I used to be addicted to Words with Friends, but I got a little impatient when my opponent(s) took too long to play their turns. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I may have purchased extra lives once or twice when I was so close to beating a board I just had to try again. It seems the levels are endless. The makers of Candy Crush have come up with very clever ways to keep us coming back for more level after level.
DeleteThis really is a part of our lives now. Gaming has taken over so much of people's time. I see some of my friends' parents getting up first thing in the morning to play their games on Facebook. It amazed me when one time I heard one say "I have to get home to take care of my crops", knowing it was only a game. It is becoming a way of life for some. I think maybe it's deeper than just playing, for some it could be a need for accomplishment and wanting more. I do play Candy Crush but usually it's right before bed and I can also go days without it. I do have some friends who get so annoyed that they stress out over it. I hope that our future doesn't turn into complete gaming where people forget how great it is to go outside and go to the park for a day.
ReplyDeleteI feel like that's already happening. When I look around my neighborhood there aren't nearly as many children outside playing that should be. A lot of them are in the house playing video games. My neigbor told me she had to make her kids go outside and play. They'd rather stay in the house and play on the computer than ride their bikes.
DeleteFirst of all, I would to start off by saying what a great post! If was definitely very interesting and informational at the same time. I hate to admit it but I am definitely one of the 132.9 million people that plays Candy Crush. Like many others I saw it through Facebook and I noticed a lot of people playing it and I wanted to see what all the "hype" was all about. Boy, was I in for trouble because once I started I was automatically addicted. I went through phases where I couldn't stop playing it and I kept spending money on more lives or the different things to help you pass the levels. It started to get out of control when I was spending like $10 a day, which didn't seem like a lot until you add it all up. I was literally spending over a $100 in a week. That is just insane to me so I had to force myself to stop playing it. As of right now, I am not playing it anymore and I don't intend to because if I start back up, I know I am going to spend money.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you are now able to resist the urge to play. I just got to level 308 this weekend and I'm thinking that's a little ridiculous. I've definitely cut back on playing, but I don't think I totally give it up. I enjoy the game too much.
DeleteThis post was on the money. I use to thank candy crush was this stupid candy game that I use to watch my girl play. One day I was waiting on her a the doctors office and was bored out of my mind so, I checked it out. All I can say it was over from there, I started playing more and more to try and catch my friends on facebook. I always ran out of lives and had to send request for more. Thank God it got to hard and on this last level I tried for like a month to beat it but never could so I gave up, but this is where I guess they want you to spend money to buy the add-ons to help me win, but O well.
ReplyDeleteI got stuck on one level for almost 2 months and almost gave up. Instead of buying boosts I did a Google search to get some tips for beating the level and eventually I got past it. I really don't know what it is about the game, but most people get hooked once they start playing.
DeleteThat is so crazy! I will admit that I play occasionally but I have never purchased anything or sent one of those annoying invites on facebook. I swear I get one of those invites 2 or 3 times a week.
ReplyDeleteCandy crush is very addictive. A friend of mine told me about the game and I got hooked. Once I start playing I definitely don't want to stop and the only thing that stops me is that I run out of life lines so I stop for a while. I don't know but I'm not surprised that people will pay such money to play. I don't, just because I don't think all kinds of pleasures should be paid for. Why pay for a game when there are other more important tangible things you can get instead of something that will not last. I would definitely be in trouble if this was something that could actually harm my health, well almost anyways. I guess it can be harmful if you stop everything else and just play. This was a great blog, very interesting, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I love playing candy crush and it is very addictive but I don't understand why people will pay so much money to play these games. I find it very funny that there is a rehab though for it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI do not play Candy Crush or any app game, mostly because I use my phone to communicate. However, I would have to say it is shocking to realize how much time I spend on Instagram or Pinterest app. I try to monitor my use of the internet, which is very hard to do, only because I do not want to miss out on living my own life in the present.
ReplyDelete