As lockdown set in, I decided to wade into the world of competitive Fifa — a mode of the bestselling football video game that I had long avoided. I knew it was delicately engineered to sap both my time and my money.
Fifa Ultimate Team involves building a squad, mostly by opening randomised packs — sometimes called “loot boxes” — containing upgrades. You can speed up progress by paying real money for more packs: a deposit of $99.99 is declared “great value” in the game’s menu.
What surprised me, though, as I interacted with fellow Fifa players in online forums, was the alarming number who seemed to utterly despise the game and how it made them feel — when they were supposedly engaging in it as a relaxing hobby.
On Reddit, there are frequent discussions about “Fifa-onset” depression, anxiety and anger. Most players appear well aware that they are being drawn in…
