Stage 4 - Part 5 - "What makes games so DANGEROUSLY addictive?"

So I shall bore you all quickly with a 23 year life span summarised into one paragraph. At a very young age, around my first memory, I started playing computer games and since then I genuinely do not remember any extended period of time that I lived without them. I recall trying, but whether or not I succeeded I don't know, because they were probably the least entertained parts of my life.

It's not been too much of mystery as to why video games are, at times, perceived as an addiction; never mind their active role in the affliction, but a brief examination in the human behaviour around them, and you can already see assets of a disabling bond. Jobs, relationships, money, time and personal welfare are all lost and cast aside in order to maximise the time spent defeating the boss, leveling up, or just being entertained. To say that I am addicted to games at this time is under question, but to say that I once WAS addicted to games is the same as asking if a bear in the woods is a bear in the woods. Whilst recently reading an article outlining the "Emotional Monetisation" of game design (earning more money without charging more money), my perception slowly translated it into "How do we make more money as game developers? Make gamers feel unaccomplished without us". It was not so much in an 'Overprotective Parent' type of way, but in a 'Overly Attached Griflriend' kind of way. Their sole purpose of creation is for gamers like myself and, perhaps, yourself to love them because if we did not love them, there may be a chance they will not survive...


Digging into a combination of this article, and my lessons in game design at University, it comes to a speedy and awkward halt when it becomes a little clearer why games are DANGEROUSLY addictive. Ultimately, they are designed to be so. A well designed game is so because it makes the player want to continue; they will grab you, hold you in, and not let you go until you decide you want to. An excellent game could hold you down for as long as it lasts, and the scary part is, some games last forever.


Without wanting to deliver the entire 3 year course on game design, there is a very fine science behind the creation of a good game. It is geared by the types of challenges put forward, the way in which they are put forward and the careful curve in which they become more challenging. Tetris will be a great, basic, example; if the blocks fell at the same speed throughout, then the game would actually only get easier as the player would grow familiar with the structure and flow and adapt accordingly. Speed up the fall of the blocks, and the player is forced to constantly adapt and even change their play styles to continue progression. In this, the challenges are harder and thus feel more rewarding. This is the most basic example. It can have more dimensions such as power-ups, weapons, new enemies etc etc. The timing of these things are all decided carefully to ensure the game does not become so easy it is boring, or so hard it is unplayable and hated.

The hook and grasp of a game is based around these parameters and then targeted at a particular person. Indeed, anyone who may expose themselves to a video game could potentially get addicted. It's just about finding the right game for the right person! About 10 years ago, video games were only for a particular group of people; move forward a little and suddenly stay at home mothers, bored house wives and generally those who never thought themselves to get involved, were hooked into Farmville, and now, it's Candy Crush.


These games were not simply designed and put out there, they were carefully crafted to be as engaging as they are, but also designed for a particular market. Perhaps they did not hit the market they were looking for, but they found one, and it worked magically for them! It is in this that games are DANGEROUSLY addictive, because on the whole, not only can they be addictive to anyone, they are pretty much designed that way. They are created with intention of a future investment in more of the same. Look at ALL the big franchise games at the moment, and then look at their market of gamers: Starcraft 2, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Call of Duty, Battlefield, FIFA, Candy Crush, Zelda, Pokemon, Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, even Dynasty Warriors. So long as these titles continue to reappear on the shelves, they will continue to be paid for, because of their clever design and mechanics that have gamers hooked in, until they cock of up a title so furiously it brings the developer to its knees.

If you have anything you wish to share with me or indeed the readers, feel freeto comment or e-mail me at twentyfiveand0@hotmail.co.uk - Don't forget to check out the What Have I Been Playing pages found on the right! OR Check out my channel at www.youtube.com/ike1luv