Dominik Diamond describes how using free mobile games as a short escape from depression and loneliness became an increasingly frustrating cycle of adverts, downloads and disappointment. The column argues that freemium games exploit players’ impatience and vulnerability by withholding progress, then pushing intrusive advertising as the apparent alternative.

He began with Sled Surfers, which limits attempts through tickets and offers adverts to continue playing, before being drawn into games whose advertisements misrepresented their actual content. Diamond cites titles including Royal Match, Slap and Run, Castle Busters and Snake Clash!, and says adverts became longer, harder to dismiss and increasingly focused on gambling-style apps or promises of cash rewards. He also reports that the games quickly overheated his phone and that privacy or “not interested” controls did not meaningfully stop the adverts.