This is what Candy Crush Saga does to your brain
Last week, Candy Crush Saga, the mind-numbingly simple yet addictive game that involves matching coloured sweets, was estimated to be worth $7.1bn. While that amount dropped by 16% after the company’s Wall Street debut, it still left the gaming geniuses behind the free app worth billions.
Candy Crush is played by 93 million people every day, and it accrues an estimated $800,000 daily through players purchasing new lives and boosters that help them to conquer new levels. All told, half a billion people have downloaded the free app, and King Digital Entertainment, the company behind the phenomenon, reportedly netted $568m last year alone.
I am on level 140 (not something I’m proud of), even after deleting the app once because I couldn’t stop playing. So what is it about this game that makes it so addictive?
First off, it’s simple. The premise of Candy Crush is basic enough for a preschooler – just match three candies of the same colour. Initially, the game allows us to win and pass levels with ease, giving a strong sense of satisfaction. These accomplishments are experienced as mini rewards in our brains, releasing the neurochemical dopamine and tapping into the same neuro-circuitry involved in addiction, reinforcing our actions. Despite its reputation as a pleasure chemical, dopamine also plays a crucial role in learning, cementing our behaviours and training us to continue performing them.
