Are Facebook Games A Money Grab?

Facebook games are truly an addiction that’s easy to fall into. Once a friend starts to play a game and invites you to play then you both become hooked. You begin sending each other lives, game accessories and other important game merchandise just to survive. As part of the challenge, the game wants you to invite more friends every chance they get. When you run out of lives or other important things, you either have to wait a specified amount of time or you can buy it, with real money. If you’ve ever been trapped in this hamster wheel, then you must be thinking, ‘Are Facebook games a money grab?’

The short answer is YES–Duh! I mean, that’s how they make their money.  If you want to be successful in the games and get all the fancy costumes or power-ups, you’re going to have to spend a few bucks doing so. My favorite game to play on Facebook is Marvel Avenger Alliance. I think I had to spend about $100 on that game. Don’t get me wrong, I got cool characters and some dope costumes, but I never got to the highest ranks. Why? Even though I was mildly, yet heavily addicted to the game, I never spent TONS of times or money on it. On the PVP, I might get up to the Gold Level (second level on the tournament game), but never much further.

I also play a game called Papa Pear Saga. In order to go into the desert area, I had to get three golds or beg my friends to help me out. I don’t have that many friends to help me  get three golds, so I paid $1.50 for 15 gold bars. That was more than enough to move on to the next level. I’ve heard of people paying upwards to $100 per month on the game just to get to elite statuses. I even found out someone on Facebook spent over $4000 on Marvel Avenger Alliance! I may spend a couple bucks here or there, but I’m not spending that kind of money unless I’m getting a return of my investment.

This is why I quit those types of games. I really can’t enjoy them unless I’m spending money. Although I haven’t spent the amounts that others have spent, I still find it less enjoyable to even have to spend money. After a while of thinking about my hard earned money being spent on a game, I don’t know why the hell I would want to continue.