PR Pros: Are you playing Farmville? C’mon…admit it!
Farmville has taken over many Facebook users’ Facebook time and has spread throughout my friend list, my firm, and my house.
I have had a hard time understanding the appeal. To me, a requirement of a good video game is that I get to annihilate Nazis, aliens, or Brett Favre. But I’m obviously missing out on something as several people who I think are sane and intelligent have gotten neck deep in it. So now I’m fascinated with this phenomenon.
I would like to ask for feedback about Farmville particularly from PR pros, journalists, bloggers, and any anyone working in or around the media.
Note: this is purely academic and for my own interest. I am not working for Farmville or any competitor.
- What do you like about Farmville?
- What keeps you coming back?
Please comment here or if you prefer to do so privately, please email me your thoughts at jmonson@enr-corp.com or DM me at @jackmonson
Thanks PR Farmers!
Social Geek Blog 
Despite the Internet-wide fascination with this online game, I refuse to give in.
Why?
1. I don’t want my clients and friends from all corners of the nation having their feed clogged up with cow tipping or major radish purchasing nonsense.
2. I’m a young professional continuously trying to grow through my online interactions. Although I’m sure there are some bonding opportunities with others (mostly parents of my childhood friends who beg me to set up shop next to their 30 acres), I don’t think tending to my fictitious pastures will prove more beneficial than, say, reading and interacting with blogs like yours.
3. I’m a city girl. Manure and overalls don’t do it for me.
Let me know if you give in, Jack.
Jack, I have to admit, I’ve started playing Farmville recently. I held out for nearly a year, refusing to play, but am finding it enjoyable!
First, let me address your first commentor’s #1 point – you can “hide” all Farmville updates from your feed (which is what I did before I started playing) so that you are not bothered by them. This is what I still do for Mafia Wars, hugs, smiles and other updates I don’t care to read.
For me, Farmville is about competition – not farming. To see how fast I can build up my farm, expand, move up the level ranks, etc. It is a true social networking game in that there are many things you cannot do without help from your friends.
I understand some people’s points that they are using Facebook for career networking. That’s not my case. I use LinkedIn and Twitter for business, but Facebook is 95% personal – family and friends.
Considering that 90% of the time I spend on the computer is work/career-related, I think I can afford 10% of personal “play” time 🙂
My husband is obsessed with Farmville, so I refuse to join. I think he would agree with Tressa’s reason for enjoying it.
I use Facebook professionally, and I don’t have time for the games.
Some of my friends are really into farmville and keep sending me invites and requests for “donating a cow” and such.
I do not want to get started, so I have not even looked at it. My priorities on the net lie elsewhere (getting the news, searching information, etc.)
I usually hit the ignore button when it comes to Mafia wars and Farmville.
Funnily enough, I wrote about one of the newer versions of this style of game, Island Life.
http://www.mmorpg-info.org/island-life/island-life-on-facebook/
As a fan of “traditional video games” I was surprised at how addicting this type of gameplay can be (it’s really just levelling up for new items to level up with) so in a way, it’s gameplay at it’s most basic. Anyway, just happened to see this post and thought the article might be interesting.
My husband is obsessed with this game. I find it annoying that he comes home from work and spends his whole night on it, and his mornings instead of interacting with our children. He says it’s fun. I don’t see the appeal at all. Fun is hanging out with my kids who I don’t see enough because of my job.
I’m an online marketing professional and I often counsel clients on how to use Facebook to boost their business. Yet, I don’t have a Facebook page because of my distaste of Farmville and people who like my husband spend too much time on it.