Editor: Every day another Facebook friend writes to ask me to sign up and either “help” this individual win a game or just be included in one, but given the nuances, goals and outcomes of these, I opt out, even as more and more users opt in; and the money grows for the 1%.
In the playground of games, the game makers earn millions, if not billions, enticing people to play games with their friends, some of which involve real money. This comes at a time when the entrepreneurial spirit that is so needed with the desperately unemployed is fumbling and when face-to-face contacts are diminishing at the expense of sound moral compass and the increase of verbal violence and impersonal social attacks and online bullies. Experts tell us that the more emotionally distant we are from individuals the more we are apt to become verbally abusive in our relationships. Author and commentator Howard Jacobsen describes it like this: “ I mean, anybody who looks at the internet will have noticed how much more violent language has become. You don't disagree with somebody now, you vilify them, you kill with language. “ This increases in the world of pretend.
Games may not elicit these negative agendas, but they don’t support a world where reading is fundamental and so many people no longer do it, exchanging Facebook YouTube bleeps for the in-depth features that build cognitive skills. Games are fun and have their place for sure. But nothing beats having that coke or beer on the side and the laughter of friends as they enjoy each other’s company.
One game designer has looked at the actual game creations, the internal designs and purposes, and says, “Monetization gimmicks are not a replacement for making money the old fashioned way: earning it.” He goes on to point out how the “extras”, the “energies” and “benefits” make the games neither free or as creatively participatory in the better ways of game-playing.
The next negative is where the money goes for the creation of the games, and that’s the pockets of the social media sites and the game creators. It means fewer people making more money, which increases also the divide between the haves and have-nots, while increasing the number of venues that add little to progress and culture.
Because games like “Angry Birds” are highly addictive, they earn lots of money. In fact a University professor maintains the attachment is similar to those who enjoy gambling, only the rate of reinforcement is much higher and therefore can be even more addictive. And yes, it leads to expenditure of money over and over again, when roads are in disrepair and schoolrooms crowded and old. Rovio, the great game-maker of the bird games launched the Bad Piggy Bank. This is a mobile payment system where users can make purchases during the game at the touch of a button without having to enter in credit card details. It means money disappears almost unconsciously, rhythmically, and over and over again and in impersonal ways with the immediate reward lasting only briefly.
So you become addicted, and here comes the particularly bad part, according to Business Insider, that has followed the game addictions and the millions made, particularly on Facebook. They picked the game Fishville, which was one of the largest downloaded apps and games on Facebook in 2009. This is how BI describes how it all works:
"The object of FishVille is to build a magnificent virtual aquarium, full of spectacular fish and designer decorations. The way you do it is spending fake money to buy small fish for one price, and then, after tending to them for a few hours or days, selling them for more fake money then you paid." Then comes the real money for the features needed to continue.
It’s that real money wasted, while some folks make millions creating attachment to nothing that grows into bettering lives or improving world conditions. It means some gaming might be fun but the proliferation of them, the money and time spent ends up countering the positives that can develop from face-to-face learning that occurs when people play games and sports to learn skills of fair play and sportsmanship as well as have fun.
As for me, I’ll play checkers or a card game with my husband and anyone who wants to join in and appreciates our company on a Friday night in ways that build memories and good relationships that count.