I like games, but I just don’t get Farmville. Maybe it’s because I haven’t tried it, and maybe because the constant Facebook updates in my newsfeed are annoying as hell. I also am partial to board games with social interaction, not role play or simulation games like WoW or Second Life, which frankly are pathetic outlets for the anti-social zombies among us.
But “normal” people in my life play Farmville! When I ask why, they say “it’s so fun” or “so cute” and honestly, not much more than that. I think it probably has the same mind-numbing effect as a lot of trashy tv shows like Real Housewives or 16 and Pregnant (yea, that’s a show, with multiple seasons to boot). People don’t seem to care about strategy, or winning, or even generally succeeding. I can’t figure out what drives them to convince me to adopt a baby cow or eat some blueberries, and further, why think I’d care. And I certainly don’t want to help anyone plow their terrain.
Since Farmville started in June 2009, there are a LOT of people who use it and are fans of it via Facebook. The seamless integration with Facebook in fact has been easy advertising for the game and has undoubtably been the number one reason people decide to play. I just can’t figure out why they stay. PLEASE, someone, give me a good answer!!!
Jen Bokoff 