I play candy crush on the iphone more than GTAV on the PS3, at least, at the moment.
This damn game has been designed by evil psychiatrists to make piles of cash. I read months ago it was making them $700k a day. It apparently has over 100 million players across all platforms.
If anyone has even a passing interest in slot or pachinko machines, and gambling generally, you will recognise the evil in Candy Crush by 'soon to IPO' London based King.
Firstly each level starts randomly. Second, it is actually quite hard to predict exactly what any move will do beyond the first few effects. You can pick "better" moves but usually the more spectacular chain reactions are surprises. This is one of the several critical psychological addictive ingredients they've injected. Studies show that when people are rewarded essentially randomly and in unpredictable amounts, they very quickly grow a habit. An addiction. This is why people stare at a slot machine for hours feeding coins in like an automaton.
Next, Candy Crush after the initial illusion that it is easy, starts to throw levels in that simply cannot be won reliably and then withholds extra lives for hours (and in some cases days) unless you either promote the virus by pestering your social network contacts, or pay money for a very quick fix. The genius of withholding lives is you are unable to pig out on the experience and then delete the game in frustration or annoyance. It is quite happy to "fit" into your life as, oh, a four hour a day habit? Since you can't easily overdose on it. At least not without spending heaps of money. it lingers. For months.
Lastly I have a suspicion that the temptation for King was to have programmed the game, just like Pachinko and slot machines, so the "payouts" (those moments of spectacular chain reactions and explosions often leading to a clear level) are carefully metered. This means that behind the illusion that it is a game of skill, it may actually be withholding patterns that lead to easy victories and therefore pacing out the progression. I feel the temptation to do that would be too great. In order to keep people playing and keep the money machine going it is critical that addicts don't quickly tap out at the last level and move on to a different amusement.
King add levels at a fairly steady rate I think they have added well over 400 now, without dramatically spreading the game to your social network or paying a lot of money it is nearly impossible to run out of levels. In that sense it is a like an "endless running" game but smeared over months and maybe years.
Anyway when I compare GTAV and Candy Crush, it is like comparing a game made by friendly students to a game made by evil psychiatrists. GTAV, and other typical console titles, has nothing on the sheer manipulation contained in some of these apparently shallow tablet/phone freemium games.
I haven't sent a dime on candy crush yet, and have not bugged a single person in order to get lives. But the pressure to do so is far more intense than I've ever encountered in any other freemium type title. I'm not sure many can resist.
I've never played this but it's always interesting to watch the trajectory of mobile game popularity. Candy Crush was at it's peak in August and is about to come crashing down hard: »www.google.com/trends/explore#q=candy+crush
The prototypical example is Draw Something. Made a ton of money for two months and got bought out by Zynga for $180 Million, then crashed and nobody cares about it anymore. Candy Crush is probably better off because it's following a much longer curve. It's kind of surprising because Draw Something seems like it would have the longer staying power with it's asynchronous multiplayer. It was pretty fun, too. -- »[Info] The DSLR Orangeface extension 2.0!
I'm not sure google trends is a good indication of a candy crush crash, it just means that candy crush players after a number of searches see that there isn't much that can be said about each level - the same advice gets repeated.
Draw something was a cute idea, but was not addictive. People burned out on it because there was no limit to play time. It had a number of other flaws.
As it stands Candy Crush is still the #1 earning app on the app store and the google play store. It has 10 times as many active users (today) as the next most popular facebook app.
I think it has not got the same flawed trajectory as Draw Something. Not to say it will be forever popular but its formula is infinitely more evil so I would not be surprised to see it still top grossing six months from now.
I'm not sure google trends is a good indication of a candy crush crash, it just means that candy crush players after a number of searches see that there isn't much that can be said about each level - the same advice gets repeated.
I think it's more indicative of how many people are searching to find out what it is and how to install it than how many people are searching for strategies.
Less people searching for a game will always happen soon after release, no matter what platform. But my impression is that Candy Crush doesn't have much longevity for those who already play it. You make it sound compelling but then I see several of my friends who were deep into it a month ago but never touch it today.
That's not to say the developer is doomed, but they will need to make lightning strike twice or try to get bought out for a large sum, which is probably the smarter move. There's just no such thing as brand loyalty when it comes to mobile games. People aren't clamoring for a Candy Crush 2 (see: Farmville 2) or care at all about what King's next game will be.
I can't say it's a bad game, it's just fascinating to compare phone or facebook games to console games. Hell, even comparing them to Nintendo DS/PSvita games shows a huge contrast. You can probably predict what will be the top selling games on those platforms in the next year, but nobody has any idea what the next big mobile game will be.
edit: for the record, I thought Draw Something was actually pretty fun to open up every few days and I was disappointed when literally everybody on my friends list stopped playing it a month later. -- »[Info] The DSLR Orangeface extension 2.0!
King apparently have a large number of games not just candy crush. I'd never buy anything in an IPO but I think whatever secret sauce Zygna have lost the recipe for, King have currently got hold of.
I was stuck on one level for about a month. I haven't spent any money on it either. It's fun to slowly work my way through it. I do agree, it seems like it was made by a team of evil psychiatrists. -- You're watching Sports Night on CSC so stick around...
I'm the furthest progressed out of all my friends and have been stuck at level 410 for about a week.
Each level has a method to the madness, either a path you have to take (destroying bombs first, smashing through walls etc.) or a combination which makes it super easy but some are nigh on impossible without getting extremely lucky with the starting layout and/or how the candies fall.
The biggest con of all is that the Facebook and Android/IOS versions are actually totally different. You can use 5 lives on your device, then go and use 5 lives on FB. Likewise FB has many more free powerups you can use to get past the trickier levels. Some levels are even drastically different between platforms, ingrediants seem to drop more often on FB and some levels seem to be totally bugged on the devices, requiring a swap to the PC to complete.
and yet knowing that, you still got to level 410! how many hours have you racked up?
No idea. I'm not actually a hardcore player, I've just been playing for a while.
I only really play on my phone, going onto FB only for levels I get really stuck with or to ask people to unlock the next level (the phone interface for this is awful). I never ask for lives, I literally just use the 5 a day and whatever people send me when they log in (although I usually just get the +3 moves).
As another difference between versions, the FB version is well ahead of the portable version. I think there is a good 3-4 zone difference.
I played this a lot initially. It really is a fun game. But as I progressed and everything became more chance than skill I started losing interest. I still play when i need a time killer but not nearly as much as I used to. Around level 100 i think. And I spent 10 cents one time to unlock the next level as i was at a doctors office and wanted to play something and couldnt get a quick fix from my social networked friends. -- You the only one on? | Does anyone know if this socom headset is stereo? | Gimme that $20! | I'm glad we are having suck a great turnout. | carlson why you go swim in lake michigan|news to me and we have no newsletter. Famous "D1" quotes
it's a brilliant framework and i guess the majority of people are susceptible to these types of games. I dont spend much time on facebook and i never play games there. these never look too fun to me and I loathe the freemium stuff.
I was really into Plants vs Zombies, but PvZ2 went freemium and it killed my interest instantly. you hit a level wall and that's that unless you buy shit. no thanks. I don't mind spending $ on stuff I enjoy, I can't get past obvious money barriers tho.
I don't know if Candy Crush is made by the same people, but I remember playing Sweet Tooth on my wife's POGO account back in the day. Looks like the exact same thing.
I've read about the IPO offering, and a few warning blogs about jumping in on the IPO offering. Just remember Zygna and how well it was doing before their IPO, then how far they have fallen. Mafia wars and Farmville aren't so hot now. I haven't seen to many requests for Words with friends either. So I suspect Candy Crush will fade away by this time next year. -- Is a person a failure for doing nothing? Or is he a failure for trying, and not succeeding at what he is attempting to do? What did you fail at today?.
The trouble with all games of this type is that they will never hold mass interest for long. People very soon realise that they are just doing the same old stuff over and over again. At least Candy Crush has levels so you feel like you are progresing through the game.
Just remember Zygna and how well it was doing before their IPO, then how far they have fallen.
+1. I remember when every other video game story on the news was that Zynga was the future of gaming and companies like EA and Activision weren't going to make AAA games anymore because facebook/mobile games were so much more profitable. Turns out not so much.
Anyway I have no interest in social games like CC but I do have a couple games installed on my droid. They are more the traditional kind like A Bard's Tale and FF III. When I have a couple seconds to kill I boot up Super Hexagon or Beat Hazard. -- The world was movin' she was right there with it and she was
I agree that the game seems to be "rigged" to get you to pay money to clear levels. I don't think I've been stuck on a level longer than a week. There are some bomb levels that you just lose a life because there is absolutely no move, or combination of moves, that will clear the bomb in time. On the levels I've been stuck on for a week after about three days you start to get really close, 99,000 points if you need 100,000 or all but one jelly cleared, almost forcing you to pay to continue. If you wait you will get that "lucky" combination that will get you through and you can continue on.
Like justin I haven't paid anything or bugged anyone to help me. I only started playing to understand what the heck my wife was taking about. I normally only play in the morning and at bed time. During the day I have plenty of other things to keep me busy. Currently on level 135, but I've only been playing for a few months and the three day minimum wait between the different zones if you're cheap like me. -- "Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." - Robert A. Heinlein
Just remember Zygna and how well it was doing before their IPO, then how far they have fallen.
+1. I remember when every other video game story on the news was that Zynga was the future of gaming and companies like EA and Activision weren't going to make AAA games anymore because facebook/mobile games were so much more profitable. Turns out not so much.
Anyway I have no interest in social games like CC but I do have a couple games installed on my droid. They are more the traditional kind like A Bard's Tale and FF III. When I have a couple seconds to kill I boot up Super Hexagon or Beat Hazard.
Yeah, for me, they fill different types of voids. If I want to play a real game, I head to my console or PC. Candy Crush is one of those things I play as filler if I'm waiting for my daughter at school or while I'm supervising her bath, because it's just something to do on my tablet. It's much faster and easier to put down than using something like a 3DS or Vita. I end up playing Subway Surfer more though because you don't really get "stuck" on that one like you can for long periods with Candy Crush.
The one concession I make for "bugging" people is moving from zone to zone. I have several friends from high school who play, and we all just bug each other for the ticket to move on. -- You're watching Sports Night on CSC so stick around...
The one concession I make for "bugging" people is moving from zone to zone. I have several friends from high school who play, and we all just bug each other for the ticket to move on.
Yeah it's the only way to move promptly without spending cash.
Related to this I got some PR email which mentioned that the Japanese game industry is in turmoil because upstarts are now bigger than the traditional top 9 game companies combined.
One particular upstart is mentioned: gung-ho games.
Gung-ho games makes a number of titles but their breakout hit is Puzzles and Dragons.
Puzzles and Dragons is, yes, you guessed it, a match 3 game.
It is now responsible for more revenue than Sony, Bandai, Sega (etc etc).
So of course I had a look and yes it is on itunes and google play, and the reviews are very positive and of course mention how much better it is than Candy Crush.
How can it not be with the word "Dragons" in there.
It is now responsible for more revenue than Sony, Bandai, Sega (etc etc).
But it will mostly like be a flash in pan.
Sony will make profit year on year, some years losing money but this is outweighed by the profits the next. Companies like Zynga will be really profitable one year, but the next interest will have waned and the casual gamers will have moved onto the next "big" FB/Android/IOS game. If that game isn't by Zynga then they suddenly are not making as much money and fall rapidly down the tables.
·
·
