You and I also know that this isn't a problem inherent to just casual mobile games. It's a chronic problem to the gaming industry as a whole, and its not going to stop people from making entertainment for the millions of users who aren't addicts.
He is pointing out that, like casinos, these games are specifically targeting these addicts, and these games probably couldn't even exist without the addicts to support them.
>its not going to stop people from making entertainment for the millions of users who aren't addicts.
These games aren't made for the millions of users who aren't addicts. These games are made specifically for addicts.
>Yes, we maximize for users who spend over $10k
It's like the difference between selling alcohol and selling cigarettes. Alcohol is mostly sold to normal people, and percentage of the population abuses it, but virtually every single cigarette made is sold to an addict.
Alcohol manufacturers could exist without addicts, cigarette companies couldn't.
If you make a Farmville type game there's a good chance you are depending on "addicts" to keep you in business.
I'm not declaring casual games to be immoral by the way. I'm just pointing out the difference.
Targeting is your word, not mine. We cohort users by spending activity and learn from them in the same way a Macy's buyer will learn from their most loyal customers. My friend works as a buyer for children's clothes and they make the same business decisions I make about inventory and store layout.
We maximize for users who spend large amounts of money (incidentally none of ours have spent $10k, more like $100) because this and engagement data is the only data we have in determining customer loyalty. So we ask ourselves questions like "If this user found enough value out of this feature to spend $100 on it, we should make more like this".
However, I do think the closest moral analog to running a casual Farmville type game is running a casino. If you're fine with running a casino, I'm not trying to stop you.
If you really want to find out if targeting these users to maximise profits is harmful or not, I think it's a good idea to ask these spenders, perhaps have them take a survey. If you don't want that, I'm pretty sure there's research out there on gaming and spending habits that can shed some light on the question.
[Edit: I see that you sell through iTunes connect, and I don't know if Apple permits you to have anonymous user surveys in you app. Even then, I'd guess that you wouldn't risk your highest paying customers reconsidering their gaming habits by asking them uncomfortable questions in a survey. Given that, I would think actively looking for published research papers would be a good idea.]
Don't expect not to get judged when you work for those pushing the envelope in this direction though.
