Zynga Poker Seeks Staff with Experience Making "Addictive" Games - Poker News

A job advert by Zynga is available online here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/259361280/

In describing the "required skills", the company says that candidates should have, amongst other things:

"Love for games and creating fun, compelling and addictive user experiences." (my emphasis)

I think it is really scary and irresponsible for an operator in the poker world to seek staff who make "addictive" games, especially when children as young as 13 are permitted to use their services.

An image of the job advert, taken by me just now using the Chrome extension FireShot, is reproduced below. I've edited the image only to remove the headshot photo of a LinkedIn contact of mine that works at Zynga.

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04-11-2017 , 07:22 AM

chinagambler

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 2,572

Most "free" mobile games are based around exploiting the addictive nature of people, nothing new.

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04-11-2017 , 07:24 AM

gobbo

Trust the fat man.

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 15,623

Free to play games are the online equivalent of the Stacker games where you can win big prizes but only after they've made enough money off the fish. They say it's not gambling but it's totally gambling, except you can't win.

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04-11-2017 , 07:37 AM

RecreationalPlayer

journeyman

Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 389

Don't see a problem with it really. If they didn't create addictive games, they wouldn't exist. Pretty sure other things are addictive too, alcohol, sugar, complex carbs, heroin, but nobody is starting any threads about those.

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04-11-2017 , 07:56 AM

DickeLatte

adept

Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,152

Quote:

Originally Posted by RecreationalPlayer

of course people start threads about those. just not on a poker forum necessarily.

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04-11-2017 , 08:21 AM

CashW

journeyman

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 274

Well, Pokerstars was also in this business lately, right?

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04-11-2017 , 11:38 AM

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinagambler

Most "free" mobile games are based around exploiting the addictive nature of people, nothing new.

This is probably the first time that a company in the world of gambling has ever come so close to admitting or announcing they are seeking to make "addictive" experiences.

Legitimate and responsible operators - such as Kindred or Rational Group - have teams working on combatting the scourge of addictive gambling.

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04-11-2017 , 11:39 AM

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by CashW

Well, Pokerstars was also in this business lately, right?

Please link to where PokerStars - or any other legitimate operator - has ever sought to create an "addictive" user experience.

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04-11-2017 , 11:56 AM

The Imp

old hand

Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 1,702

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josem

Please link to where PokerStars - or any other legitimate operator - has ever sought to create an "addictive" user experience.

Casino games - hugely -ev casino "bonuses" (popups on cashout "don't cashout! spend that money in the casino instead!"), casino promotions encouraging players to wager £1000's, Spin & Go, Beat The Clock, Sports betting where only degens don't get their accounts gubbed, every poker promotion where the top prize is huge but mostly theoretical...

Stars might not have used a specific word you dislike but they're fully in the business of trying to get customers to lose their money in ways they didn't plan to.

Aren't you the guy that works for Stars? You missed a whole lot of meetings over the past few years?

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04-11-2017 , 11:59 AM

#10

DangerNoodle

journeyman

Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 350

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josem

video games developers say they aim for addictive gameplay all the time

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04-11-2017 , 12:00 PM

#11

Frankie Fuzz

grinder

Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 534

Come on man, the whole industry is based on addiction. At least they are being honest.

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04-11-2017 , 12:26 PM

#12

Avaritia

Confirmed 2500 hour haver

Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 12,248

Looks like the Glassdoor range for product manager at zynga is ~$120k.

That's below the poverty line in San Francisco right?

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04-11-2017 , 12:34 PM

#13

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Imp

Aren't you the guy that works for Stars? You missed a whole lot of meetings over the past few years?

I am no longer employed by PokerStars.

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04-11-2017 , 12:48 PM

#14

Jackal69

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,653

Is this for gambling products? If so they should probably use a more politically correct term like 'sticky'

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04-11-2017 , 01:24 PM

#15

ArtyMcFly

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 13,256

Are they also advertising for a social media expert that understands the rules of poker?

[ ] Lowest straight on this board.
[x] Free chips.

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04-11-2017 , 01:33 PM

#16

Biggle10

veteran

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,993

Zynga poker: Are you able to identify the best possible hand? If so you're a poker expert.

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04-11-2017 , 02:01 PM

#17

Sect7G

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,234

Poor choice to use honest words... But this is the way it is. Good websites come up with addicting games as do not good operators. The difference is they will deal with customers who show problems.

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04-11-2017 , 02:06 PM

#18

BoDiddleyMacau

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,286

If you've got 10 minutes to kill this article was incredibly eye opening. Not quite the same thing, but interesting none the less:

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/sto...ulsive-gambler

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04-11-2017 , 02:11 PM

#19

Avaritia

Confirmed 2500 hour haver

Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 12,248

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtyMcFly

Are they also advertising for a social media expert that understands the rules of poker?

[ ] Lowest straight on this board.
[x] Free chips.

With straight flushes I think you should call/fold/raise 33% each bc gto imo

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04-11-2017 , 02:21 PM

#20

rakemeplz

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 12,648

I'm pretty sure I already play a somewhat addicting video game that appeals mostly to young teenagers. And they're constantly trying to work out the best ways to make the game more addicting in terms of loot drops, encouraging players to play more frequently, and selling loot/keys to advanced dungeons etc.

I'm not sure if I have a point here or this is different for some reason. Oh well, woe is me.

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04-11-2017 , 02:30 PM

#21

SretiCentV

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,695

It's so horrifying and offensive when people are honest. I would much rather have Daniel Negreanu tell me they're making apps that will be good for the ecosystem.

WTF

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josem

Please link to where PokerStars - or any other legitimate operator - has ever sought to create an "addictive" user experience.

SNE

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04-11-2017 , 02:47 PM

#22

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,190

Zynga has just switched the job advertisement off and are no longer accepting applications:

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04-11-2017 , 02:49 PM

#23

ChicagoRy

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 20,589

I like that you posted this here. I don't draw the same conclusions as you from the posting, though.

At worst, it's a poor choice of words to write down. Reality is, this is what all mobile game companies or online poker companies are looking for, a game that people want to keep playing constantly.

You could reword it to mean the same thing without controversy. "Create fun, repeatable experiences for users" for example.

The term addictive is a little too charged, especially in the gambling world, and Zynga should know that. But that's the only mistake I see here.

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04-11-2017 , 05:51 PM

#24

CashW

journeyman

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 274

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josem

Please link to where PokerStars - or any other legitimate operator - has ever sought to create an "addictive" user experience.

Pick your choice(s) :

SNE and loyalty programs in general
Spin'n'goes
Tournament leaderboards
Rake races

I find it a bit ironic that you of all people would post this, even though you don't work anymore for Pokerstars.

It is actually a very common thing in all thoses new games as mentioned before. For example Candy crush was designed exactly with that purpose :
https://www.theguardian.com/science/...saga-app-brain

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04-12-2017 , 02:59 AM

#25

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,190

I think there's a meaningful difference between ordinary computer games, and gambling games, especially when Zynga allows children as young as 13 to play such gambling-themed games.

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