According to a report by the UK Parliament, there are more than 9 million users who play more than three hours a day on Candy Crush. The results of the research
Candy Crush Saga is one of the most popular gaming apps in the world, but it would really seem that it causes a major addiction to its users. According to Alex Dale, manager of King, the company that produces the application, every day more than 9 million people spend three to six hours in front of the game.
These data have been released during a hearing in front of the United Kingdom’s parliamentary committee committed to know the digital tools that create problems to citizens. Candy Crush would have come under the magnifying glass after last year a player spent more than 2,200 euros in a single day to buy a feature that allows you to advance faster in different levels of the game. In fact, there are several people who invest in the app to improve their performance.
Candy Crush Saga Addiction Warning
Alex Dale described the company’s concerns in front of the UK committee that studies app addiction. The manager admitted that among the 270 million total gamers there are two or three contacts a month who write to the company because they are worried that they have spent too much money or spent too much time in the app. Dale justified himself by saying that the number is very small compared to the total number of gamers, so he was quite pleased with the result.
Unfortunately, however, the 9.2 million users who are addicted to the app cannot be ignored, even though these account for about 3% of the total users. These people play about three hours a day, but 0.16% – or 432,000 users – spend more than six hours on the app.
Who plays Candy Crush? Sketch of the average user and borderline cases
The average Candy Crush user is 35 and older and plays for about 38 minutes a day. Dale pointed out that, according to demographics, players have a lot of time on their hands, so the app wouldn’t affect their social and work lives.
Dale also brought up a user who spent more than €2,200 (or $2,600) in one day, saying that’s a borderline case, certainly not a user model to be considered. The player in question took advantage of the sale of packages that give the possibility to use a gold bar to win many games and level up faster.
The company that develops the game warns users
English committee member Damian Collins asked King’s manager if the company could do something to stop the addiction of many users. Perhaps an account that uses the app incessantly and potentially harmful could be suspended, of course by sending the appropriate warning and reason first.
Dale replied that in his opinion this is not the best idea and that the company already warns users in several ways. For example, an email is sent to those who spend more than $250 in a week. Many users, however, find these messages inappropriate and intrusive.
After hearing Dale’s words, Collins felt that King’s actions are too mild and don’t solve the problem. In fact, the company would have an interest in users playing as long as possible, even at the expense of their health. Dale said he was ready to help people, but in the last 18 months only one user has explicitly asked the company to block his account for having developed a worrying addiction. We’ll just have to wait and see if King will take a strong stance to quell the phenomenon.