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/>
