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Facebook Apps vs Console Games
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Written by Taylor Sakal, Staff Writer
Ever since the appearance of the “Facebook” social networking website, the necessity for email, instant messaging, and file sharing has decreased. The website has made communication easier for not only teens but adults, thus increasing “Facebook” income through game applications that have become shockingly popular. Among the most addictive are “FarmVille” and “Mafia Wars” which bring in $200 million annually from there 75 million users.
These Flash-based “Facebook” application games all have the same purpose: to make money while competing with friends to expand and better your game experience. What makes these games popular is the simplicity; unlike console games, setup is not required nor do you need to spend money to play.
The addictive quality of these games is a result of the economical advantages (free) which appeals to most people. Most games require little time spent playing but involve frequent checkups. “What draws my attention to the ‘Facebook’ games is the entertaining game concepts such as making my own [FarmVille] farm which is huge and abundant with bell peppers and cows,” says a junior that wishes to remain anonymous. These games give players an escape from reality for a chance to experience something unfamiliar, such as farming. The natural instinct to dominate and prove yourself better than your “Facebook” friends, or in this case, ‘neighbors’, gives users the sensation that draws them in.
But do these games threaten the the gaming console era? Although these games are easily accessible, they appeal mostly to females: teenage girls looking for part-time entertainment and older women of whom have recently adopted the cyber world. This demographic, for the most part, does not participate in console gaming. As for big-time “Call of Duty” gamers, the ‘virtual farm life’ does not appeal to them. Thus, “Facebook” gaming may steal the limelight but will never dominate console games and will only remain a temporary source of cheap entertainment.
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