Weekend Debate: Das Farmvilles

I got an invitation on Facebook earlier this week to join in all the merry digital agrarian fun on Farmville 2.

Let me tell you, I was absolutely breathless with excitement when that notification hit my inbox. Either that or I was holding breath waiting for the moment when I would suddenly find myself giving a single flying rat’s ass.

Here’s a hint: it was the second one, and no, the moment never arrived. Luckily, my brain eventually overrode my infantile obstinacy and forced me to resume normal respiration. Which is, you know, fine, I guess. Whatever.

So here’s the thing: I’m not so much a big player of these kinds of social media games. This business of having x amount of energy or what-have-you to expend daily on your make-believe domain just doesn’t really scratch me where I itch.

And never you mind what the doctors say about where I do itch.

I will admit to playing games where you take turns with other people, like Scrabble and Words with Friends – feel free to challenge me to a game.  I just never quite got the point of having to log in to a browser-based game for 700 consecutive days for fear of your tomatoes turning black and rotting.  I can get that at home, and I don’t even have to check ’em every day.

I also don’t really get why a Farmville 2 is necessary.  After all, it’s a web-based game, meaning they can throw out new updates anytime they like.  If you’re a software monkey like me, that’s kind of the whole point of web-based software.  You don’t really need those inconvenient sequels.  But I suppose this means a second Farmville to shove ads in your face, so what do I know.

What do you think, though?  Is one Farmville enough?  What about Castleville, Cityville (that doesn’t even make sense), Monkeyville, Fishville, and/or Loserville?  Do we really need all these?

Facebook Games: Big Fun or Big Waste of Time?

We welcome your thoughts on the subject in the comments, as always.

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the weekly poll:

Have a great weekend, and may all your virtual crops be harvested in time for…whatever.

Pud’n