This simple yet surprisingly addictive game that engages you in matching colored sweets has an estimate worth of billions, even after this amount decreased from the Wall Street debut of the Company. Even in the best candy crush blog, it is estimated that this company makes around 800,000 dollars daily through in app purchases to help players complete new levels.

This app has had so many people downloading it and making in app purchases. The company behind this app, King Digital Entertainment, was reported to net 568 million dollars last year alone.

There are a number of reasons as to how addictive this game is. The first and most significant is the fact that this game is so easy to play at first, which brings a sense of satisfaction. This sensation is caused by the release of dopa mine in the system that taps into the addictive circuitry spot of the brain. This results into wanting to play the game repeatedly. To avoid boredom of the game, the developers have made every progressive level even more difficult, resulting in more satisfaction and more intermittent release of dopa-mine.

Despite what many may think, including the claims of the app developers, this game relies entirely on luck depending on the randomness of the given candy colors rather than individual swiping skills. This implies that the reward schedules become unpredictable. As a result, we lose more than we win. This ends up enticing people to play more rather than discouraging them as opposed to having people win easily. This is an effective mental strategy used in gambling slot machines.

Another important feature within the game that affects how we respond is the limit to the time we play. You are put on a time out after every 5 losses. This puts you in a position where you can never get satisfied of playing it. This actually makes the game more rewarding once you are permitted back in. This is also how candy crush makes money, by letting you buy back in if you are willing to pay for some extra lives.

This deprivation strategy is called the hedonistic adaptation. In a research done at Harvard University, two groups of people were used to test this theory. One group was asked to abstain from chocolate for a week while the other group was given unlimited amount for the same week. When both groups were given chocolate the next week, the group that was deprived chocolate expressed the most pleasure and satisfaction in consuming the treat.

The final reason as to why the game is so addictive is that it uses candy. Food is often used to in gambling games in order to trigger the pleasurable sensations we derive from savoring it. It is no wonder food is used in some gambling machines such as the famous fruit machine. The King company knows this positive association that help make it relaxing and fun.

Now, while there are shocking stories where people neglected their responsibilities because they could not stop playing this game, candy crush is, at the most part, a completely harmless game. You do not have to pay a dime if you want to and of course, you can quit playing it any time you please.