Him: "Would you like me if I started playing wow again?"
Me: "..."
Him: "What?"
Me: "Good luck finding a girl that would like you after finding out you play WoW."
The above is a text convo that I had with someone that I've been seeing. He mentioned it because he knows how I feel about the game. I have teetered on weather or not I should go into more detail, but I think I'll just leave it at that.
Seriously?
WoW.
Fuck.
I know fists full of lives that WoW (World of Warcraft) has messed with. I have had several conversations with people that have had to personally deal with a WoW addiction, or family and friends that have had to deal with the addiction. I am sure that you can randomly ask anyone and they will know someone or knows someone that knows someone that has a or had to deal with someone that has a WoW addiction. It's just crazy!
I don't just want to hammer down on WoW, although, it is the biggest culprit. There are other popular MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online or MMORPG which stands for Massively Multiplayer On-line Role-Playing Game.) games out there that people are overly obsessed with. Second Life is another popular one.
I am an active person. I get out of the house, do stuff. I socialize, interact with REAL people. I know this is where many MMO players will argue that they are socializing. Talking to people online is a whole other level of socialization, it’s the anti-social of “Socialization” and it's not a healthy. These gamers are sitting around for hours, “talking” to people, getting to that next level. Anyone can see that there is a problem with that... Though, I know that some gamers have and still will try to defend this topic.
I'm not making these comments and writing a blog on this topic blindly. I have several friends that had to deal with a spouse that had video game addictions and online/Internet addictions, 95% of those relationships are no more. I see, observe and learn from everything around me. Even though I know many people that play video games and I have dated many that have played a lot, it hasn't become a direct problem in a relationship. However, I have had roommates that played MMO games, lost jobs, hibernated in their rooms and evidently could no longer pay rent and had to move.
WOW! (LITERALLY!) There is a website for WoW addicts. www.wowdetox.com. There are some really sad stories on there too. This was one of my favourite quotes from the site, “World of Real Life > World of Warcraft”. They recommend suicide hot lines. Holy shit.
There is even a Wikipedia page: www.wikihow.com/Break-a-World-of-Warcraft-Addiction or how about www.wikihow.com/Overcome-an-MMORPG-Addiction
A friend of mine, that has played MMO games and has experienced someone being addicted to a MMO game, wrote, "I think MMO players in general have a harder time maintaining relationships because they can't differentiate between real life and the game and they fuck up their priorities." Very true.
Anyway, in the end, isn't there a reason he stopped playing in the first place? I will not tell him what to do. That is not my place but I do have a choice. I don't know if I want to invest more time and potentially more of my heart into someone that is into that stuff.
I welcome people to comment... current players, ex-players and even ones that have been personally affected by this problem.
More interesting links:
http://www.spike.com/blog/10-deaths-caused-by/74056
http://ezinearticles.com/?Deaths-Caused-by-Video-Games&id=1916512
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy
I f**king hate WOW.. Whoever created that game needs to be slapped upside their head. It has broke up so many relationships aswell as families. The people who play are just as fault because they get so into it that they believe it is reality or so it seems.. No wonder the game says TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS people. There is a reason for this. Men are just as bad as woman are with this game and from what i know unless the couple both play and are into it that is the only way it works..
ReplyDeletei didnt know it was that adddictive. i played it and found it boring. but if it is like that, i guess it would be like if someone you're seeing said, i might try drugs again? I read that a lot of people who play that find their real lives boring or not exciting, so in that game they can be a hero.
ReplyDeleteAs an EX, WOW and video/computer game player, I have to fully agree with this! I was a bit reluctant at first to play it, so I just watched my brother in law for a while. He went away for work, and told me to try it out, so I did...thinking nothing of it. Pretty sure I was glued to it all week and when he came back, I wanted to play, but couldn't. So what did I do? I went and bought my own flippin' copy. And then it began. The addiction. The hours glued to my laptop, hunched over in the corner of the office. I would wake up from work at 5am...work 6-2...come home, shower, maybe eat, and then play WOW all night long until 2 or 3 in the morning! Every single day! This lasted for about 1 year...then i moved, back to BC, and never played again. BEST decision I ever made. I never want to experience an addiction like that again! Oh wait...I kind of did...bodybuilding...haha...but at least that's physical, and gives me exercise! And leads me to live a healthier life! And it feels great! I am not proofreading this, so if my rant does not make sense, sorry! haha -End
ReplyDeleteTwitter response:
ReplyDelete@janelleawesome: @fallyz I agree w/your blog 100%, took my guy I think three times before he kicked it. He hasn't played in two years now -- it's an addiction. Basically WoW = girlfriend/wife/human relationship kryptonite --but people seeking an addiction will find it right? Also I just recently learned the avg. WoW player spends 6.5 hours a day on the game. lol how can you tell I'm passionate about this?
Bellini: Level 59 Gnome Warlock... right here baby! LOL I never made it to 60. I quit before I could! I remember when it was oh so cool to be 60. Now it's like what... 70? 80? 100? I don't care 0_o ... Must not care. Don't think about it... >_<
ReplyDelete5 to 6 hours a day, holy cow. thaT GAME SHOULD BE OFF THE MARKET.
ReplyDelete5-6 hrs a day...I think I was averaging like 6-8 hrs a day :-(
ReplyDeleteI hope you have figured stuff out with this guy. I don’t know much of the situation... BUT what I do know is that you’re pretty fucking amazing girl. I imagine, if he was a smart guy, that he wouldn't let anything happen to lose you.
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog Fally, please keep writing. I love to see/read your bright shiny, true colors.
There is a fine line between playing this responsibly and letting it get out of hand. If you're playing so much that your wife and kids leave you, then yes, you have a problem. However, I dont think it's fair to place blame upon the developers of the game. It's not there fault that Jonny Videogame can't control his life enough to take a step back. Yes, I play, and frequently, but i have never let it get in the way of doing things "in real life". The blame must be placed on the end user, not the creator.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that more and more people place blame on ANYTHING other then themselves. You are the one with the problem, NOT Blizzard. Please, do not look for another excuse as to why it's "not my fault", it is, and you need to deal with it.
I know of a family where the dad got addicted to it and shortly after, the mom got addicted. Now the kids have no one they can count on, because the mom and dad are always online playing it. The kids are sad and lonely. The parents don't even go to school functions or parent/teacher interviews. Meanwhile, the kids are failing school. Total lack of priorities. Sad.
ReplyDelete