App of the Month: Kim Kardashian: Hollywood
August 14, 2014
When you hear the name Kim Kardashian West, game app developer doesn’t really come to mind. The reality star, famous for her personal life, has created another way for us to step into her shoes for a couple hours a day.
Kim Kardashian: Hollywood is a free virtual world, where the player creates a whole new persona and virtual life. The game is filled with romance, career paths, financial difficulties, and couture clothing. Man or woman avatars are created to your liking from the eye color you want them to have to the perfect shade of pink shoes created for your personal day.
“It’s fun because you get to have a lot of boyfriends and create a cool life,” junior Rita Chidbachian said.
Under Kim Kardashian’s wing, you and your avatar explore the world of Hollywood, trying to launch your modeling career while trying to keep your social media stats A list. The player begins as an “E lister” where Kim Kardashian is in desperate need for an emergency outfit at the store “So Chic” where you begin your minimum wage career. From that moment on, your career skyrockets while jet setting to New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Paris. The game is a constant battle for your celebrity status by odd modeling jobs and event appearances. You also get the chance to find a significant other and network your way to the top as an A lister.
“The Kim Kardashian game is so fun for me, because I get to feel like something I’m not in real life,” junior Veronica Godoy said.
The app has already caused controversy with many parents saying their children are being subjected to a fake reality and the game is causing them real life financial struggles. In the game you get energy and you need a certain amount of energy to continue playing the game. When that energy runs out you must wait for it to come back, which takes few hours. With the restless generation, kids and teens are jumping at the chance to use their parents’ money to buy more energy to continue playing the game.
The $200 million grossing app just proves the Kardashian reign is smarter than people’s first impression of the multimillion dollar family. With Kim’s personal touches throughout the game, including her real life voice commentary, this game ranks in the top five of Apple’s Top Grossing chart.
“I think it’s really smart that Kim Kardashian uses her fame to her advantage. An app is a good idea to make lots of money and she’s using that to her full advantage,” senior Mena Gadalla said.