Why do games like Victoria 3, Anno 1800, and Football Manager destroy your sleep schedule, and why are they so hard to quit?

These are the strategy games that don’t just pull you in, they erase your evening and leave you wondering how it’s already morning. We talk about what makes these games so addictive, from perfectly tuned systems to that never-ending sense of progress. What’s the line between depth and compulsion? Can a game be brilliant even if it ruins your week?

It’s part confession, part analysis, and a warning to anyone who thinks they’ll just play “one more turn.”