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[DunDunDunpachi]

Source at The Guardian. The slant of the article is pushing some bollocks about videogame addiction, but I wanted to post it because these numbers would be impressive for any videogame title. Puzzle games aren't often given due credit for bringing in new gamers. By any standard for any other genre, 3 hours a day is unquestionably "hardcore".

Candy Crush ain't really my bag. I'm impressed that so many players are sticking with it, though.

A top executive at the maker of the multibillion dollar Candy Crush Saga game has revealed that more than 9 million players a day spend from between three to six hours or more playing the puzzle game.​

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Alex Dale, a senior executive at its maker, King, also told a Commons select committee investigating immersive and addictive technologies that last year one player spent $2,600 (£2,050) in a single day on the gold bar currency that can be used to propel players faster through the game.​

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However, he told MPs he did not believe that there was an addiction problem among Candy Crush Saga players.​

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“Among 270 million players we have between two and three contacts a month from people concerned about having spent too much money or time on the game,” he said. “It is a very, very small number who spend or play at high levels. When we speak with to them they say they are happy with what they are doing.”​

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Dale told the committee that of the 270 million players, 3.4% (9.2 million) play for three or more hours a day, while 0.16% (432,000) play for six or more. He said the average player – the core market is women aged 35 and over – plays for 38 minutes a day. Defending the numbers, Dale pointed out that the many players were from demographics that had “plenty of time on their hands”, including older people and those convalescing.​

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“Excessive time, it is very difficult to know what excessive is,” he said. “We have a fair number of people in their 60s, 70s and 80s playing Candy Crush,” he said. “We do want people to play more. There are going to be people that like to play our games a lot.”​

 

[Tesseract]

hey man, whatever gets you through the day

more gamers, more games

 

[#Phonepunk#]

amazed that 9 million people is only 3.4% of their player base.

but yeah, most of it is older people. Candy Crush is a pretty fun game, it looks nice, and old people love candy. among my family i think Words With Friends is a far more popular game for the older folks, but i bet grandma plays some CC now and again.

most people probably invest 3 or more hours a day arguing about comic book movies or about new stories that have zero effect on their lives, and it makes them crazy. i'd say CC is a far more healthier pasttime, it gets your brain working, it has pleasant sound effects, it doesn't make you hate people, etc.

 

[Birdo]

It's basically the "Play during work break" game.

 

[Xenon]

One of the few mobile games that really hooked me. But a long time ago I switch phones and lost my save. Never really missed after that.

 

[Potato Chip PRO]

I haven't played Candy Crush since 2014.... Im really surprised its still going.

 

[zenspider]

Well, like they say, there's no accounting for taste.

One of my co-workers plays it obsessively on her breaks, and it makes me sad. If I had a spare DS I'd donate it to the breakroom with some proper ass touch gaming.

 

[zeorhymer]

I'm just surprised there are still that many people who play the game.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

9 million addicts