15 Minutes of Fame: A year's worth of WoW personalities
by Lisa Poisso 
Jan 5th 2010 at 7:00PM
It's easy to assume that the players behind the avatars around us in game are very much like ourselves. After all, we're all united in a love of WoW, aren't we? In practice, there may be a world of difference (both literally and figuratively) between you and that guy topping the charts in your raid or the nattily attired banker rummaging through the mailbox next to you. With something like 11 to 12 million WoW players worldwide, it stands to reason that you'll run into players who live and play the game from a very different perspective.
From virtual world designers to disabled players, from dancers to authors, 15 Minutes of Fame brings you a sampling of the personalities and passions behind the avatars that shared your screen in 2009. Click into our gallery, below, for a fresh look at the players we profiled over the past year.
"I never thought of playing WoW like that!" - neither did we, until we talked with these players. From an Oscar-winning 3-D effects director to a rising pop singer ... from a quadriplegic player to a bunch of guys who get together for dinner and group raiding in person every week ... Catch it all on 15 Minutes of Fame.Filed under: Features, Interviews, 15 Minutes of Fame
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
UltimateQ Jan 5th 2010 7:15PM
Tough Guys Wear Pink.
I think I need that shirt.
Thorlo Jan 5th 2010 7:26PM
Love the fanny pack... its fannypack-tastic
jtrain Jan 5th 2010 7:42PM
I don't know who either of those guys are, but I am definitely disturbed by the picture.
Finnicks Jan 5th 2010 7:49PM
You're only disturbed because you're less confident in your sexual identity than they are.
I know, because the picture disturbs me too.
rafe.brox Jan 5th 2010 8:53PM
I'd be the guy picking up the gentleman in the Pepto-colored ensemble (Kiesh, profiled here in June).
Disturbing was the picture of me actually picking up CK Knight (different picture), because with the redeye, and him thrown over my shoulder, it looks like I'm carrying him back to hell. :-)
lisapoisso Jan 5th 2010 9:04PM
@rafe
The red eye in CK's pic was a little demonic, it's true ... And this fellow in pink seems to enjoy being hefted into the air by a fitness geek. ;)
Funkmeister Jan 5th 2010 10:02PM
Truly Horrifying.
'Been reading wow.com for a long time now and this, this is the first thing that i've ever felt the need to comment on. The way his belly rests on face, the ginga goatee, fanny pack - the pink shirt is the only humorous part of this scenario.
rafe.brox Jan 6th 2010 11:37AM
The story behind that picture is entertaining, but has nothing whatsoever to do with playing WoW.
artifex Jan 6th 2010 9:47PM
What's horrifying is the need to judge what other people look like and what they wear.
They're having a good time.
Em Jan 5th 2010 10:11PM
I'd like to thank you for your story on Lileya (http://www.wow.com/2009/04/21/15-minutes-of-fame-dislocated-but-not-disconnected/) and also Lileya herself. This story led me to finally be diagnosed with Elhers Danlos and begin to understand something that has been the black dog in my life for the last 29 years. Thanks to that story I have a whole new world in front of me this year. Knowing has completely changed things for me.
Three cheers for Lisa and Lileya!
Thanks guys :-)
sprout_daddy Jan 6th 2010 10:53AM
Thanks for doing this retrospective. I hadn't read some of the articles posted throughout the year, and the ShrinkGeek feature in particular was one that resonated with me, as I've recently realized that age (38), poor eating habits and lots of stationary leisure activities have thoroughly wrecked my physique. I made a resolution to focus on fitness in the coming year, and this was another excellent source of inspiration. Thanks for the retrospective.
rafe.brox Jan 6th 2010 1:59PM
Glad to hear it! :-D
Loverose Jan 7th 2010 4:49PM
Nice overview Lisa! Many thanks for publishing of our update as well :)