Breakfast Topic: WoW Horror Stories
by Mike D'Anna 
Mar 16th 2006 at 8:00AM
No,
I don't mean the one about the scary leper gnome. Over the last few weeks of browsing the WoW forums, I couldn't help
but notice a ton of posts with titles like "WoW Ruined my Life", filled with tales of woe about lost
jobs, wives leaving husbands for guild leaders, various sundry affairs, and - horror of horrors - missed homework! And I
could swear I just wrote a post about how video games are
supposed to be good for you...In any case, it got me to wondering; just how much can a video game ruin your life. Has anything bad ever happened to you as a result of playing WoW? I don't mean your girlfriend getting miffed 'cus you're ignoring her; I'm talking tragedy, here. Send us your sob stories...the more depressing the better; sharing is the first step to healing, after all...
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, News items, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James Mar 16th 2006 9:11AM
I'd still say games are good for people, as long as one can control themself to not let it hurt their real life. I work 40 hours a week, and manage 3 WoW characters playing around 5-6 hours a day after work, and more-so on the weekends. Unforunately, I don't have a girlfriend at the time, but my friend that plays with me occasionally, does. He seems to be completely obsessed with the game, spending every free time, that his girlfriend and his job aren't claiming. We both know its a game, but it's not going to ruin our lives. Only immaturity can do something like that. WoW offers another life, one that can't be treasured more than your own. My two cents.
ToRmEnTeD Mar 16th 2006 9:42AM
While playing WoW, time goes by so fast. I work from 9 - 5, normally I get home around 6. Then I play WoW for a few hours. After about two missions, and I still want to do more, I decide to go to sleep. Look at the clock and OMG, it is 3:30 A.M.!!!!
My weekend is about the same, I get up around 10 on Saturday, take a shower, have some breakfast, sit down and allow my character to have breakfast also, and by the time I relise what time it is again, it is 8:30 P.M. on Sunday!!! There went my chance on getting some long needed beauty rest. Ohh well maybe next weekend...
slybri Mar 17th 2006 12:07PM
While playing WoW 4-5 hours a weeknight and long through the weekend has had it's detrimental effects (putting off cleaning the house and yardwork, not going out with friends as much, massive sleep deprivation, eating junk food instead of cooking, etc.) it does have it's advantages.
I used to rent or buy movies, buy 3-4 new games a month, go out drinking, and generally spend lots of money out of boredom. With WoW I'm never bored, so I save tons of money each month.
Playing this much WoW only becomes problematic when you neglect your resposibilities to your work or family. It's when you start calling in sick to work to play WoW that the game becomes a dangerous addiction.