Thread: "5 Creepy Ways Video Games Are Trying to Get You Addicted"

I just finished reading this article from www.cracked.com and wanted to bring it up for discussion.

5 Creepy Ways Video Games Are Trying to Get You Addicted
"Are some games intentionally designed to be addictive?
Absolutely. And the designers did a damn good job, also."

I'm familiar with the Skinner's Box experiments, but had never imagined that the principles for addiction were being applied to games (MMOs in particular) in the way they are now, at least not in a ways that would be an obvious means of exploiting people for their cash. Now it's just godamned obvious, and it's disgusting. I do however feel that there is something to be learned from this. These principles can probably be applied to something that would actually benefit us, perhaps as a learning aid of sorts in schools? Can one become a victim of a Skinner's Box if they are aware that they are in one?

The article is well worth the read, I'd recommend it to anyone.

That was an interesting read, if not telling us much we didn't already know. A lot of the free-to-play MMOs are adopting outright gambling as a business model, both to keep you coming back and to entice you to drop real cash for more "chips."

It seems to me that MMOs would be better off striking a balance where players are spending the minimal amount of time in-world (using the fewest developer resources) while maintaining the desire to return and fork over the monthly fee. Of course, the flipside is that the most obsessive players are essentially free hospitality/entertainment labor, keeping the game world active and interesting for everyone else.

I found that incredibly entertaining to read. I don't play any games that require subscription and I know my addictive personality enough to never lay hands on something like WoW...but the article really did make me question why I play some of these stupid games on my iphone everyday. Oh, and it also made me wonder if maybe I'm addicted to the internet. I'm going to go play outside now. (Really)

The stuff going on in Korea btw is pretty insane.

I used to press that level a jillion times a day. I was hooked on WOW from the day it came out all the way till the beginning of the second expansion. He only scratched the surface of how addicting that game can be.

If you want the best items you're going to need friends who are as addicted as you. If you don't show up every day when they raid, you get kicked out. It's the same thing with PvP. You're fighting people every day in various battle grounds just so you can get basic gear that lets you get your ass handed to you by people who already have geared up, and upgraded.

Close to a year ago me and my RL friend finally quit, and now I found myself getting addicted to all those silly app games in face book for no reason. I had to delete my account because I thought I was heading down that familiar path.

Originally Posted by Akono

I used to press that level a jillion times a day. I was hooked on WOW from the day it came out all the way till the beginning of the second expansion. He only scratched the surface of how addicting that game can be.

If you want the best items you're going to need friends who are as addicted as you. If you don't show up every day when they raid, you get kicked out. It's the same thing with PvP. You're fighting people every day in various battle grounds just so you can get basic gear that lets you get your ass handed to you by people who already have geared up, and upgraded.

Close to a year ago me and my RL friend finally quit, and now I found myself getting addicted to all those silly app games in face book for no reason. I had to delete my account because I thought I was heading down that familiar path.

The cracked article links here, also great: http://kotaku.com/5384643/i-kept-pla...ming-addiction

As you said, you pretty much have to be playing these games obsessively to stay involved at all. I've put in unhealthy stints on a number of online games, and still can't reach a degree of obsessiveness or quantity of free time to be competitive, or even maintain ties to a group/guild. The developers like to say it's up to players to practice moderation, but the dynamic of these games makes it all but impossible to play casually.

I think its pretty silly. Games have always been like that, far before a person wrote an article about it. All sports have a way to keep score, and games follow after that. Instead of a score you have levels and more powerful equipment.

Its all about compitition. You see a challenge and you want to overcome it. You see a person and you want to do better than them.

You have to take it with a grain of salt, since they are not trying to manipulate you, they are trying to find the best way to make you happy. If they see that doing A increases enjoyment of the game, and B causes frustration in players. Its kind of silly to not use A and get rid of B. In no way is it some kind of sinister attempt to control you.

I think its interesting that the article he keeps referencing was written by a game researcher, who worked on Halo and Age of Empires. Neither of which are tedious, boring or anything remotely like the WoW type games he gives examples for. Both are classic games, and very fun.

Originally Posted by Alric

I think its interesting that the article he keeps referencing was written by a game researcher, who worked on Halo and Age of Empires. Neither of which are tedious, boring or anything remotely like the WoW type games he gives examples for. Both are classic games, and very fun.

Do you think he did that to sway people away from less addicting games? Either way he made some good points about it.


Taosaur, that story reminds me of me a lot. I'm glad i read it, I'm hoping it'll give me motivation for my own happy ending.

While I was reading this article, my girlfriend showed me This Video of some kid's reaction to his mom cancelling his WoW account.

The video is nothing short of hilarious, but it is also a bit disturbing how emotionally invested the kid is in a video game. His brother (the one who shot the video) put up a bunch of other videos of him freaking out over WoW and other things. Part of me feels bad for him but another part of me thinks that it serves him right for behaving the way he does.

P.S. The part with the remote? That gets a big WTF from me
22 million views.

Xaqaria...I saw that...heard it was fake though. Apparently he does this a lot.

Also...Angry German Kid was fake too :http://www.cracked.com/article_15849...did-it_p3.html

I used to be addicted to WOW. I can tell you, it is not fun. The first few months it was fun, like REAL fun but then it gets to be boring (as pressing the same number sequence on a keyboard, waiting a few minuets and doing it again sounds like it would be). you keep playing though because "raiding is so fun". Then i got to 70 (tbc at the time) and then WoTLK came out. I was pissed but decided to play a DK to make it fresh. And it was for all of a week. Then I got to 80 and could not find groups because the server was over run with DPS. so i struggled up with my friends and got to where i could do 25mans. then I lvled my original character to 80 and did TotC. I was playing every moment of my spare time. I wasted 2 summers leveling alts so that I could pay to have a chance at getting gear. I no longer play mmos. Just xbl and I still play in moderation.

I don't have time to read all of this thread but I've found that games that have levels are more addictive than ones that don't. Even Farmville and shit like that. You just HAVE to get to the higher level.

I don't know what the hell they do, but it's not working for me. I can't stand MMOs. I've tried many, liked none.

That article isn't really that surprising. The effect of video game addiction on my younger brother has been truly shocking. He used to play Runescape after I introduced him to it and got ridiculously addicted to it. It got worse from there. Probably the most pivotal moment in the history of my family (I shit you not) was when my best mate and I were standing in GAME looking at PC games.
"Hey check this game out, World of Warcraft. I tried it, it's brilliant." He says.
"Mmmm, I dunno, it could be the next Runescape for Michael..." I reply.
"Nah, it'll be sweet!"
"Ah you're probably right."
Biggest mistake I ever made. I was pretty into it for a while but saw what it was doing to my relationships/school work and gave it up a couple of years ago, but he's still at it. He literally can't go a day without it. Social life, down the shitter completely. Even if someone asks him to go out and do something he declines in favour of WoW. Non-gamers really can't understand just how addictive that game is. If you sign up for a raid, you're totally committed to it, and if you drop out you get such abuse. If you miss too many, byebye guild. And if you're not raiding with a guild, you don't get to experience any of the new content. (Apart from when they release an expansion) It's not like you could take a few weeks break from it either. You have to be at it all the time or not even bother. Over a few years it changed my brother from a funny, well-liked guy into an angry, reclusive loser. I used to joke about it, film him freaking out when I unplugged the router in mid-raid (fkin hilarious btw), but it's just tragic now. If you're reading this and vaguely considering trying WoW, just don't.

Originally Posted by J.D.

sad times.

that is crazy man, Ive never tried wow just because of the monthly fee, so Ive just played runes of magic which people say is a wow clone (its not entirely) and I could never imagine being in a guild like that. I do play a little every day but I join a chill guild that just helps each other out with quests and the like. they dont have those kind of guilds in wow?

if I were to play any p2p game it would be lotro though. I hear its much less raid based and has a lot more chill guilds in it. Sounds like my style.

Originally Posted by tkdyo

I do play a little every day but I join a chill guild that just helps each other out with quests and the like. they dont have those kind of guilds in wow?.

Oh they do, that's just not the kind of guild he's in.

I'm actually doing a report on Video Game Addiction and this article helped me out!

Also, J.D., you need to tell someone about his addiction. Favoring WoW over going out with friends is a huge sign saying "I'm addicted to video games".

Originally Posted by slayer

Favoring WoW over going out with friends is a huge sign saying "I'm addicted to video games".

No shit! lol
And good luck on the report by the way!

Originally Posted by slayer

I'm actually doing a report on Video Game Addiction and this article helped me out!

Also, J.D., you need to tell someone about his addiction. Favoring WoW over going out with friends is a huge sign saying "I'm addicted to video games".

I think i would favor pretty much anything over going out with friends actually. My parents would never take me anywhere (didn't want to drive) so i am just kind of use to staying at home i guess. It is just to uncomfortable and boring to be gone the whole day, then when you get home you feel like you haven't accomplished anything. Just IMHO.

But if ALL you do is play a certain game, then you do have a problem. I used to ONLY sit in my room and play WOW. Now I play a mixture of different games, and lurk on forums a lot. I wouldn't say that I am addicted anymore. I don't feel like I have to play games, I just do it in spare time.

Originally Posted by sheogorath

I think i would favor pretty much anything over going out with friends actually.

That's kinda sad. But it's becoming more and more common these days.
I don't go out all the time, but I still do sometimes. I don't get how people can work/go to school all week and then party on the weekend the entire time and not get worn out.

I need recuperation time by myself. But I don't think it's healthy to just be at home by yourself ALL the time.