Highly Addictive!

jinxit

Something I've noticed and I find it somewhat disturbing to think about.

Has anyone else noticed MMO's are the only product out there that seem to use the term "Highly addictive" as a positive selling point?

If you seen that on any other type of product (pharmaceutical/food/snacks/alcohol..pretty much anything) could you bring yourself to buying it?

Vrika

If I wanted to spend hours each day using that pharmaceutical/drinking that alcohol/eating that food/snacks then I'd buy it. But  I don't want to because it would cause health problems. That's why I play addictive games, play addictive sports, and seek addictive things to do, but try to avoid putting anything addictive into my mouth.

Konfess

I don't beleive I have ever seen marketing for an MMO that uses the phrase, "Highly Addictive."

Gabby-air

Originally posted by Vrika

If I wanted to spend hours each day using that pharmaceutical/drinking that alcohol/eating that food/snacks then I'd buy it. But  I don't want to because it would cause health problems. That's why I play addictive games, play addictive sports, and seek addictive things to do, but try to avoid putting anything addictive into my mouth.

Because playing games addictively doesn't cause health problems? lol

But I agree with the OP its a rather unethical way to market games as such but at the same time I do understand where they are coming from as most MMO players seem to prefer something they can really sink their teeth into. 

BeansnBread

I want my snacks to be highly addictive.

maplestone

Anything that is marketted as a hobby rather than a consumable tends to see "addictive" as a positive term.

I do sometimes get creeped out by noticing something and think to myself "I recognize that behviour-conditioning trick from an old psych textbook".  When I see it happening in games where players can spend real money at their discretion, it quickly triggers a hostile self-defense reflex in me. 

KulEndSpycee

I have to say that I have never seen an MMO advertised as "highly addictive" but I have seen plenty of games both online and single player that have been hyped as having "addicting gameplay" or something of that nature.

This really makes perfect sense, when you are marketing a product you want to show that it fills the expectations of the consumer.

When you buy a drug you want it to be effective and fast, so you find advertising for "works in 30 minutes", "guaranteed to eliminate", etc.

When you buy food you want it to be tasty and/or healthy, so you see advertising like "low fat" or "smooth and creamy taste."

When you buy a game you want it to be fun and engaging, the more fun the better. The kind of thing that you just can't put down.  So when you examine a marketing blurb that says "addicting combat" it is really just saying the combat is so good you'll want to keep playing it, which makes perfect sense.

Just as a counter example, you would never see a video game advertised as "no adverse side effects" like a pharmaceutical, because different phrases mean different things when used in different contexts. I'm sure there are people who look at "highly addicting gameplay" and associate that with destructive gambling or alcohol dependency, but there are also people who think playing GTA will cause me to go out and run over old ladies with a stolen car. So take that as you will.

Edeus

I want a T-Shirt with "Highly Addicted" printed on it.

Terrorizor

cigarettes

punkrock

Originally posted by Vrika

If I wanted to spend hours each day using that pharmaceutical/drinking that alcohol/eating that food/snacks then I'd buy it. But  I don't want to because it would cause health problems. That's why I play addictive games, play addictive sports, and seek addictive things to do, but try to avoid putting anything addictive into my mouth.

That last line sounds dirty bro lol!!!!   but ya i aggre with ya thou.