Video games
How video games are getting inside your head to get inside your Wallet. Since then the industry has evolved from a bouncing ball on Atari to games with magnificent graphics and sound, most of them connected to the Internet. That means that kids can play with people spread across the world. It also means that gaming companies can analyze how gamers play and also analyze each and every decision they make. When kids sit down with a game, they are actually sitting across a screen from adults who are studying them. In some cases the try to influence their behavior. Researchers in game companies tweak games to get players to stay on longer, or to encourage them to spend money on digital goods. They study gamers' reactions. It's become a science. In millions of families, video games are a source of intense love and intense hate because they can be so fascinating. You might not believe that if you never play them, but you can get lost in a great game. They make you feel good. Most games today sell virtual goods right inside the game. One of the tricks of the trade is something developers at Zynga used to call "fun- pain" or "the pinch." They do this to make gamers uncomfortable, frustrate them and to take away their powers and then, at the last second, offer them a way out for a price. Many of the people spending cash are kids, including Davison's children. Game consoles sell gift cards at convenience stores that allow kids to make purchases on video games, even if they don't have a credit card.