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“Farmville Addiction” on KDSA Local New Station
Check out this hilarious FarmVille post on our Partner Site at AOL! Games.
It’s not just national media figures like Dr. Phil that are looking at the supposed epidemic of “Farmville addiction.” The fine folks at KDSA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota filed the above report (partial transcript here) on the 82.4 million people that are “spending real time which is part of [their] real life … harvesting virtual crops, caring for virtual animals … and none of it is real.” (it helps if you read those quotes in the jaded, ‘can-you-believe-it?’ tone that the newscaster uses)
The report focuses on a single Farmville player, mother and cardiac nurse Stacy Rothstein, a self-admitted “addict” who plays the game for five hours a day. Thankfully, the addiction expert the network consults clarifies that an interest in the game turns into an addiction only if it negatively impacts the player’s real life. Still, the whole piece has that overly broad, accusatory tone that often comes along when media outlets cover something they don’t fully understand.
Despite this, the entire piece is worth watching just to hear the main reporter give the following anecdote at the end: “I was talking about this [game] with my wife, just how I didn’t understand it, how I thought it was a little annoying, and she says ‘How about the hours you’ve spent playing NCAA football,’ and I got real quiet.”
Tags: farmville addiction, farmville freak, farmville.com, farmvillefreak.com
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
FIRST!!!!! HAHAHA
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
I mean, between game loading issues and the holy-ginormous amount of time that the game takes to harvest, plow, and plant an entire farm of crops (not to mention rearranging and decorating), five hours is perfectly reasonable sometimes. Don’t they know that this is the slowest game in history???
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
That’s hilarious!!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
lol
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I also think that Stacy and many others throw the word “addicted” around, even though it doesn’t mean to them what it means to a doctor. I don’t necessarily think she’s addicted (just like that doctor they interviewed said — if it’s not negatively impacting her life).
Oh, and that reporter, Katie Taube, sounds pretty pissed about all the FV invitations she’s getting. LOL!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
If people are so annoyed by it, they should just block Farmville. They they won’t have to look at the posts or be bothered by the invitations. But I think Farmville is the only worthwhile thing on Facebook.
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
I dont believe there poll is accurate, you dont have to water your crops.
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Wait a minute! You mean I really don’t own green cows and hot pink pigs?
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
@Sta61
lol!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
jealousy… like most anything else, if they don’t have it, they got jealous.. these people, they don’t have second life
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
5 hours is nothing…. i play at least 6-9 hours every day
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
awesome love this game
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
LOL I just found out that I have apparently been playing FV since the beginning…am only a level 42 and some of my neighbors are level 70 so I have not been playing as much as others…HA!!!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
People have been playing games since the beginning of time. It has always been a way to socialize and relax… whether it’s joining a ball team, playing golf or playing cards with your friends. It’s no big deal except to those that need a big deal. Did anyone notice they’re wasting their time covering FV instead of reporting on the real news: like the oil spill in the Gulf, poverty and the loss of the Middle Class in America, the many wars we have started and are in, etc…. I think FV is OK but this station and their reporting is definitely a waste of time! Rock on Freak!!!! :~)
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I love Farmville. Its relaxing after working all day. Lets face it, if it wasnt so enjoyable do you think it would be so popular????
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
FarmVille is NO different than the hours and hours spent playing Mario Brothers, Zelda, Madden Football, World of Warcraft or any of the other bazillion video games out there…this one just happens to get picked on more…and about spending real money to buy things….how much did that PS3 cost??
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
How the hell does someone play farmville for 5 HOURS! I’m on level 50 something and have a huge farm full of crops, tree, animals and it takes nowhere near that amount of time. Even when I really, really into it and wanted to spend more time on it. Even a total farm redecorating/rearranging doesn’t take that long.
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Why don’t they worry about people who have dangerous addictions and leave the Farmville “addicts” alone? There just always has to be some Bozo that wants to tell everyone else what they should and shouldn’t do with their life. I will use my free time and any other time the way I like. I am not out driving around intoxicated by the fumes of my virtual fertilizer, I am not smoking any of my virtual plants and the only psychedlic flashes I have are when I open my mystery gifts. Stop crapping on my good time. If you have some that you just need to spew, go fertilize my farm!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
FV is stress reliever #1 and also helps me to think about difficult decisions…since you are always arranging items on screen it sorta connects with the critical thinking part of your brain…I kinda feel like when I was a boy playing with leggos but in a digital version of it…
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
always picking on farmville. -.-
i agree with you marceedarcee .
go pick on people with drug problems or something.
gosh ;[
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
She’d only be playing Farmville two hours a day if stupid Facebook and Zynga would fix the God awful LAG!!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Nicole Says:
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
How the hell does someone play farmville for 5 HOURS! I’m on level 50 something and have a huge farm full of crops, tree, animals and it takes nowhere near that amount of time. Even when I really, really into it and wanted to spend more time on it. Even a total farm redecorating/rearranging doesn’t take that long.
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Ohhh, yes it does. Possibly you have a super super fast computer??? I don’t, I just have cable. I don’t think ONE game should take that long, but if you play more than 2 or 3, you can spend 5 hrs easily….daily!! and if you don’t do daily, FV can take that long just accepting and sending gifts!! But, it’s our choice…no one else’s. I don’t watch nearly the TV I used to…and I get up and do chores, etc during the many ‘breaks’ I take. Can people who use accessories with their video games say that? Or those who are “addicted” to soaps, or ballgames??
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Only around since last year??? I feel like I’ve been playing since the 1980′s..lol!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
the news lady doesnt know what shes missin out n she never get cause shes doesnt really have facebook what a liar
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
ahahahaha I’m actually from Sioux Falls, SD haha
and yeah, i too am addicted to farmville…but i dont let it get to my daily life. i still work my full time job (8.5 hours a day, mon-fri) babysit on weekends, and also keep a relationship strong and healthy.
i also volunteer at a local GLTB Community Center
=D
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
People play Farmville for many reasons. The least of which it gain control or feel good about themselves! I play because I like the graphics, the sheep are adorable and it’s fun to see what new things get introduced into the game and the market.
I just don’t get the animosity generated by people who don’t play it. It’s not enough to simply say you aren’t interested, they feel they must ‘convert’ the obviously mentally deficient people who are playing Farmville. Next thing you know, the headlines will read “Farmville CULT blamed for death of teenager” or some such nonsense.
You know sometimes a cigar is just a cigar people! We play because it’s fun, you drink too much, gamble or cheat on your wives we play Farmville!
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
I agree with Cindy (post #16). Someone can become “addicted” to a lot of variety of activities. Someone can become addicted to playing physical activities, like golf. Right now, Farmville is the only thing I can do with my friends. Most of them don’t have time to go play basketball or watch a movie. Our time schedules conflict.
I play because I don’t have anything else to do. If I could find a job, I would be working. If I could get some money, I would be doing something “worthwhile”. Until then, hello free game I can play anytime I want.
Oh and if people are annoyed by the postings, they could simply block the application with a touch of the button. Some state we could “simply” apply only a certain number of friends to receive our postings, but it won’t stop all of the posts they receive.
Posted on May 19th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
LOL omg it’s just a game. Wow, way too harsh. A bit hypocritical to be saying people shouldn’t be making such a big deal over a game, when those who say it are usually glued to their facebook pages half the day. Most people I have talked to that don’t want to play are avid facebook users and are simply annoyed by all the invites, and so avoid it.
Posted on May 20th, 2010 at 6:32 am
lol I can’t believe they did a four minute piece on Farmville and not even say anything good about it, for one you make new friends, use your imagination, and enjoy game play.
I am a student nurse and I can say that Farmville is a stress reliever for me, I have been playing since Oct. 2009 and before that I used to play Farmtown. When I am not studying or at the hospital doing clinical rotations, I enjoy Farmville and blogging with you all on Farmville Freak. I can easily see how the woman in the video spends five hours on farmville and my favorite part was when she looked at her watch and said “my crops will be ready in 20 mins”! Like she was telling him lets wrap this up!
Posted on May 20th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I fit all the requirements for OBSESSED!!! =<
Posted on May 20th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
I spent 24 hours everyday playing FarmVille….. and how’s that? 5 hours a day is nothing lol. why picking up with FV?
Posted on May 20th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
How is something virtual not real? Not real in the sense that you can’t touch it but the data is very real..
Posted on May 24th, 2010 at 11:00 am
seriously whats wrong with that.. I mean heck.. u ever play mobsters on myspace.. talk about STRESSFUL..