“What’s the big deal? I delete apps all the time.“ I hear you say.
It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but it was a big deal for me. I had downloaded a game, I’m not even going to mention the name because I don’t want you to check it out.
Anyway, this game was fun, super fun, and super addictive. What started out with me playing it now and then turned into a regular evening activity.
I can see why gaming companies do so well, they understand what keeps things sticky. They reward you for returning day after day. They swap things up so it never gets dull. They want you to join teams or rate them on social media. And the list goes on.
The game was free but they had a lot of in-game purchases and they try different tactics. Lots of bonuses for a low price to get you started. I never bought it because I knew that would be a slippery slope.
It wasn’t until I talked to a friend who knew the game and had done many more levels than me. He told me that the game company was worth billions of dollars. That shocked me and it had shocked him enough to delete the game. It’s clearly a good game and so addictive that people are paying lots of money. After talking to him, I realised what a time sink it was (I already have Netflix in my life) and promptly deleted it.
The first few days, my fingers instinctively searched for it but now, I am grateful that I bought myself time.
What are you ready to delete?