Social Gaming
My husband was trolling through our bank statement the other day, and asked me what a (insert bizarre name), was for $5.00. He didn't know what it was and thought maybe I grabbed a coffee. He likes deciphering our accounts if there are bizarrely named expenses on there.
I had no idea, and then suddenly I remembered the online game I play, Home Design Makeover. It's a harmless app for iPhone & android where you play like a candy crush type game to increase points and dollars to renovate rooms. I had been increasing my points every month with these in-app purchases.
I love renovation shows, renovating, magazines etc., and I also like candy crush. So I thought this game could be fun combining the two. But I soon found out that to progress in the game and have more to spend on renovations, I needed more points, which meant spending real money.
I realised that while you could justify spending this as your "hobby", it really is such a waste of time and money.
Not everyone would agree that online gaming was a waste, with gamers spending billions of dollars on online gaming. One of the more recent games that has garnered the attention of thousands is a game called Eve Online (EVE Online 2020). It's a galactic adventure and gamers playing in real time spend hours defending their base. Recently, one user forgot to pay his bill, and the game went into meltdown as "$300,000" of real time money was rubbed out and one side of the war lost substantial ground (Thornhill 2014).
Eve's collateral is not small. With players spending real money plus hours of real time playing the game. Plex is the currency of the game and documented controversial incidents have included purchased property in the game being destroyed by other players and substantial real money being lost (de Zwart & Humphreys 2014, p.7). The Facebook group for Eve Online (Facebook 2020) has a following of over 335,000 and provides regular updates and mission updates and tips.
Many players of online games would justify that spending money to play a game with little to show for it provides them with a hobby and community. It seems that online gaming is here to stay, and as technology increases so will the interactivity and spending of playing online both in social media and online platforms.
References:
2pFreeGames 2018, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m3R4c0Kkfs>.
Eve Online 2019, EVE Online - Official Gameplay Trailer - Play Free!, viewed 23 May 2020, <https://youtu.be/sPFII3ozSHI>.
Eve Online 2020, THE #1 SPACE MMO YOUR GALACTIC ADVENTURE AWAITS, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.eveonline.com/>.
Facebook 2020, Eve Online, viewed 21 May 2020, <https://www.facebook.com/eveonline/>.
Thornhill T, 2014 The online videogame battle that cost $300,000: Gamers see hundreds of costly spaceships destroyed after user forgot to pay bill to defend their base
<https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html>.
I had no idea, and then suddenly I remembered the online game I play, Home Design Makeover. It's a harmless app for iPhone & android where you play like a candy crush type game to increase points and dollars to renovate rooms. I had been increasing my points every month with these in-app purchases.I love renovation shows, renovating, magazines etc., and I also like candy crush. So I thought this game could be fun combining the two. But I soon found out that to progress in the game and have more to spend on renovations, I needed more points, which meant spending real money.
I realised that while you could justify spending this as your "hobby", it really is such a waste of time and money.
Eve's collateral is not small. With players spending real money plus hours of real time playing the game. Plex is the currency of the game and documented controversial incidents have included purchased property in the game being destroyed by other players and substantial real money being lost (de Zwart & Humphreys 2014, p.7). The Facebook group for Eve Online (Facebook 2020) has a following of over 335,000 and provides regular updates and mission updates and tips.
Eve Online 2019
Many players of online games would justify that spending money to play a game with little to show for it provides them with a hobby and community. It seems that online gaming is here to stay, and as technology increases so will the interactivity and spending of playing online both in social media and online platforms.
References:
2pFreeGames 2018, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m3R4c0Kkfs>.
de Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014, The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online, Cultural Studies Review, vol. 20, no. 1, viewed 21 May 2020, <https://journals.tdl.org/jvwr/index.php/jvwr/article/view/6409/6325>.
Eve Online 2019, EVE Online - Official Gameplay Trailer - Play Free!, viewed 23 May 2020, <https://youtu.be/sPFII3ozSHI>.
Eve Online 2020, THE #1 SPACE MMO YOUR GALACTIC ADVENTURE AWAITS, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.eveonline.com/>.
Facebook 2020, Eve Online, viewed 21 May 2020, <https://www.facebook.com/eveonline/>.
Thornhill T, 2014 The online videogame battle that cost $300,000: Gamers see hundreds of costly spaceships destroyed after user forgot to pay bill to defend their base
<https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html>.
I agree. It's so easy to feel the pressure to fast track progression in a game with just a couple of dollars. Those dollars add up though, and one wonders if the accumulated amounts are worth it.
ReplyDeleteBut whilst gaming has been frowned upon by many over the years, its interesting to see windows of benefits also coming to the fore. Interaction, engagement, problem solving etc, are good fruit of this outlet - and in the end, if done with restraint could be good for us.
Yes agreed. It has to be about restraint!
DeleteHi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteI like watching renovation shows too! I'm not a gamer, though, so I'll be honest that one has passed me by - I play two games of Solitaire on my laptop and I'm bored. But I guess it's so easy to get 'sucked in' by games - some do seem harmless. But, as you say 'to progress in the game and have more to spend on renovations, I needed more points, which meant spending real money.' The progress that you are allowed is linked to spending real money. I use my card a lot for transactions, especially now - some traders do still take cash, but most prefer card. It is so easy to lose track of what you're spending, because it doesn't seem like 'real money'!
I can't help thinking of justifying online gaming because it ' provides them with a hobby and community' is getting a little close to online gambling - do you think there is a difference?
Interesting thoughts on paying real money in-games! It can definitely cause issues when forced upon players who have already bought a game. No one throws around the term micro transactions fondly, and it has drastically impacted the economics of gaming. However I do believe that it makes certain games accessible to more players who can't necessarily afford to pay full price for a game. I thought this article discussed some interesting pros/cons of micro transactions in online gaming: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/022216/how-microtransactions-are-evolving-economics-gaming.asp
ReplyDeleteMicro transactions is an interesting term and thought. I image that while it is small amounts, that it still adds up very quickly. If you have expendable income I don't see it being a problem, but like any vice, if you don't then you're just throwing money away.
DeleteHi Cas, interesting post this week. I actually agree with your decision to pay to progress on the renovation app. I think its more when you begin to start losing a healthy balance and restraint so you start spending heaps like the person on Eve online. I think that $5 to make you happy is a worthwhile transaction. Overall, great post this week!
ReplyDelete