I quit candy crush — rant

forgive me for this long rant, no hate to you if you still enjoy candy crush but i just don’t anymore.

It’s turned into a pay to win situation for me, i’ve spent way more money than i’d like to admit. I think it’s predatory as it preys on one’s financial investment than actual skill or fun when playing. I’ve been stuck on one level for 60 days once and that was just the last straw for me.

Candy crush has been designed to exploit the brain’s dopamine system, creating a cycle of reward and withdrawal. When a player spends money to gain an advantage or unlock a reward, the game delivers an immediate dopamine hit—a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

These games intentionally introduce barriers shortly after, such as increased difficulty, cooldown timers, or the inability to progress without additional purchases. This creates a sense of frustration and deprivation, similar to withdrawal symptoms, as the brain craves the next dopamine release.

The only way to alleviate this discomfort is to spend more money, triggering another dopamine rush. Over time, this cycle conditions players to associate spending with relief and pleasure, making it harder to resist repeated purchases. This manipulation of psychological reward pathways is a hallmark of the predatory design.

I’ve spent so much money on candy crush when i was younger and they recognised that i was a repeat spender and when they couldn’t get me anymore, they didn’t let me win and it was often by 1 move and then they offered me “+200 moves for 10 gold bars ($2.99)”. It’s just so genius and SO predatory. I really don’t like candy crush anymkre.