Time for the gaming industry to take addiction seriously
Thinking about addiction at the design stage would be a far more significant move. Online videogame developers and publishers need to look into the structural features of their games during the design process, including the character development, rapid absorption rate and multi-player features that make them addictive in the first place.
Hey, perhaps this can be done in the tobacco and fast food industries too! Right there in the design stage!
As the new CEO of Philip Morris, it has come to my attention that cigarettes are very addicting. What can we do to stop that? I'm thinking the next generation cigarette could have a thin protective prophylaxis glued around it after it is dipped in breath freshening mouthwash. Let's brainstorm!
As the new CEO of McDonalds, it has come to my attention that Big Macs are very addicting. What can we do to stop that? I'm thinking that the next generation Big Mac could use unsweetened yogurt in place of the special sauce and the meat could be replaced with dried kelp. Let's brainstorm!
As the new CEO of 7-11, it has come to my attention that our Big Gulps are very addicting. What can we do to stop that? I'm thinking that the next generation Big Gulp cup and its straw could be mostly filled with resin to reduce both the quantity and the flow. Let's brainstorm!
Genius!
Here's the perfect ad campaign straight from Despair.com!
Customer Disservice
Because we're not satisfied until you're not satisfied.
Because we're not satisfied until you're not satisfied.
The gaming industry is doing the best job if can to create addictive games. How else do you sell millions of copies and stay in business?
ReplyDeleteComputer gaming is fine. What is egregious is state sponsored gambling in the form of lotteries. This is an addictive activity that takes money mostly from the poor who are least able to lose it. This is not a big secret, state governments know exactly who is buying their tickets but they would rather have the money, even if it comes from the poor.
Mr Slippery,
ReplyDeleteWhat is egregious is state sponsored gambling in the form of lotteries.
Don't even get me started! It is a real pet peeve of mine, as my girlfriend can attest.
The casinos take 3% (at the roulette tables anyway, assuming just one green "0" and no "00").
The horse tracks take about 20% of the pool generally. Factor in some extra losses though if going head to head against more experienced gamblers and/or there's some race rigging going on. It's like a zero sum game with 20% fees and patsies.
The lottery takes about 50%! That's even higher than the current highest marginal tax rate of 39.6%!
It's egregious times egregious!
I can understand the poor gambling to have any hope at all, but I can't understand how the government can justify such a thing while simultaneously banning other forms of "cheaper" gambling. @#$%ing hypocrites! People say it is a voluntary tax. I say it is just plain mean.
*stepping down from soapbox*
So exactly how is it different from my 401k in terms of percentages? Guess one should be glad not be in a hedge fund that seems about on par with horse gambling.
ReplyDeletedd,
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting question.
A 401k may be like a zero sum game (at these stock and bond prices long-term) with 1% fees (or more) and patsies?
And what's my definition of a patsy? If you are at the horse races and you bet on every horse to win, then you are the patsy. Similarly, if you are investing in a 401k and expect every stock and bond to win from here (by owning a diversified group including them all), then, well, ouch.
That's just an opinion based on my permabearishness of course. Your results may vary, lol. Sigh.
Gallows humor and/or expected results. Your call! ;)