Many Americans are spending up to two hours a day playing games on mobile devices. They say it relaxes them as they can plug into another universe and tune out the world for a while. The escapism factor is one of the elements that makes players spend such long hours on an app. Here are some other reasons why players can’t stop playing.
Apps are designed to reward players
Gaming apps are designed to make you not want to put them down. They stimulate the reward pathway in the brain, and it stops keeping track of time. This means mobile apps can offer a welcome distraction from troubles and anxieties. The bright colors, stimulating sounds and constantly changing screens are a powerful combination.
Casino-like apps are very popular as they offer a variety of typical casino games to play. If you have a mobile phone, a casino app gives you instant access to slot machines, poker, roulette, blackjack, craps, and other online gambling games. As long as you have a mobile phone and an internet connection, you can win real money by using a casino app.
The competitive aspect
Single-player gamers are mostly motivated by in-game challenges or quests. Their competitiveness is driven by the desire to achieve certain goals and when they achieve them, they feel proud of their performance. Esports players will look and past performance and find new ways to improve their game. In-depth performance statistics and leaderboards allow comparison with other players and a desire to keep getting better.
The social component
For many people, online games became the place to hang out with friends during COVID-19 lockdowns. According to App Annie, roughly two-thirds of the top 50 games have no less than one social feature. Players are more likely to keep playing when they feel like part of a community. Many people are into online streaming today and they will create a gaming room for casual discussions, debates, gaming, music etc.
The past perception was that gaming was the pursuit of nerdy teenagers sitting alone in a room. Video game stats show that this is not the case today. There are more than 2.5 billion gamers around the world today and the average gamer is 34 years old, has children and owns a house. Today many people would rather play on mobile apps than watch TV shows or movies.
