Breakfast Topic: The things that keep us playing WoW
by John Zakour 
Aug 16th 2010 at 8:00AM
A few days ago, I told a couple of friends who were ex-gamers that after my softball game, I couldn't go grab something to eat because I needed to get home and play WoW. After all, it was our weekly raid night. One friend replied, "Why bother? Why even play WoW? I use to play but then gave up; it all became about the numbers." The other just stood there nodding his head in agreement.
This got me thinking, why do I play WoW? After all, it's not like I don't have a lot of other things to do to occupy my time. I have books to write, sports to play and a family and friends to hang out with. My life was perfectly fine without WoW, and I am pretty certain life would be fine if the Blizzard servers crashed forever (God forbid), thus making WoW impossible to play. So why do I play?
First off, I play for the camaraderie. To me, our guild is like a group of friends that I have never really met but still really like. I enjoy getting to interact and work toward a common goal with a bunch of people from all over this country (and even Canada) whom I wouldn't normally get to meet. Second, I started playing Dungeons and Dragons over three decades ago, well before most of my guildies were born. D&D is in my blood. WoW comes very close to replicating the D&D experience for me. Third, it is about the numbers. I enjoy pushing myself to concentrate so I can churn out the best DPS I can. I still feel a sense of accomplishment when we down a new boss and I top the DPS charts.
That's why I play. Why do you play?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Saint Aug 16th 2010 8:05AM
I play for pretty much the same reason as you said. The feeling you get when your raid downs a boss they've been bashing their head against for a few weeks, amazing.
I've made a few friends in my 4 and a half years playing, some of which I've met in RL, some of which I talk to on Facebook on a regular basis. I play the game because it's a social experience, one that few other games can give.
Also, I love Blizzard's sense of humor. It's spot-on perfect to mine.
Matt Aug 16th 2010 8:06AM
I play because I'm an achievement whore and like fancy looking armor.
bitssy Aug 16th 2010 8:07AM
Why d I continue to play wow? Well, folks whom I have never personally met-are there-the friendships I continue to make while playing make the idiots I run into more tolerable. Newbies are my favorites-they ask innocent questions, the same ones I asked once upon a long time ago-and, as usual, the idiots jeer at them, so I feel it personally necessary to help them, making sure that they know at least ONE nice person in the game. Those are just a few of the reasons why I continue to play wow-not eloquent, but the absolute truth.
Spazmoose Aug 16th 2010 1:29PM
I actually met one of my best online friends simply by being nice to him. I had joined my guild just a few weeks before, and he had just hit level 70 the day before when he was invited to the guild. We were running Zul Aman, and one of the raid's DPS had to step out due to some RL reason, so we needed someone to fill the spot.
I decided to see if he wanted to join us, and he was hesitant, because he had just hit level 70, but I said he would be fine. The raid went pleasantly well, and he picked up his first epic item from that run (a set of shoulders, if I remember correctly).
While he was inexperienced at the time, he has since become an excellent player, and a fair-minded guild and raid leader.
Who knows, if he hadn't gotten the invite from someone trying to be nice, he may not be playing anymore.
fireflyoftheearth Aug 16th 2010 6:27PM
It always bothers me that there still jerks who'll mock and belittle the people who've just started playing the game. I always try to answer those people who ask innocent questions too. I know that had there not been nice people to answer my questions once upon a time I might not still be playing.
Cthulu Aug 16th 2010 8:08AM
I play simply because I enjoy it!! I spend no more time on WoW than if I watched TV, went to the movies, etc. It is a transfer of the luxury time in my life except I get to do it with friends. I love gearing alts, farming and chatting, leading pug groups, and sadistically mashing my face into the keyboard (especially when rankwatch goes off, I read /2, I read the forums, I join a pug vent with a guy modulating his voice because he is 12.)
I play wow...because I can.
Muse Aug 16th 2010 8:09AM
"What is happiness? The feeling that power is growing, and that resistance is overcome."
jbgolsong Aug 16th 2010 8:10AM
As a student im hard pressed to find a guild with my raid times so im usually further behind in gearing up my main with the latest raiding content. However when its done i usually find myself wondering what to do, ive just started gearing up my alt and leveling a priest to 80, shes now 60! I think a lot of us play for the numbers, ive always been very competitive so I feel I need to do the best I can and the most number crunching to get to top dps. I've made quite a few friends via wow, and its always been an excellent way to keep in touch with my girlfriend whos in another country and my best mate as well! Ive had to change guild relatively frequently and I try to join a different guild with my 80 alts to meet other people and see the different styles of guild leading!
Of course I could live without WoW but, when theres a bit of free time its always nice to fish, do dailies and just talk with the guild!
Kaphik Aug 16th 2010 8:10AM
"WoW comes very close to replicating the D&D experience for me."
I can totally relate to that, because that's what got me hooked more than four years ago when I started playing. Since then, I've learned a whole lot about WoW. Even with all of the imperfections, the game is still damn good and a hell of a lot of fun to play.
What really keeps me going is the game community. People I know in game, people like the posters on the forums, here at WoW.com, all the writers, the bloggers, etc. We all have something in common and there's always a lot more WoW players out there than you'd expect. It's like one big club a lot of times. Especially Horde, and if you've never been at a gathering of WoW players, you really have to see the reaction when someone shouts "For the Horde!"
People always like to say raiding is easy. It is if you have a group of people all on the same page with the right goals, but if you don't have that luxury it's not. I enjoy raiding because to me nothing is more fun than a group of people playing the game together as a tight knight coordinated team. That's why I love my regular raid groups. But a lot of times, what's even more fun is when you get into a pug or random five man group, even a battleground group, and you wind up with a bunch of team players. People that know what they are doing, what the others will (or should) be doing, and the group just meshes perfectly without ever having been together before. That's one of the most amazing experiences in WoW, and one of the biggest reasons I keep playing. All those less than ideal runs, the bad groups, the hostile players, those all go away when I run into people who are just having FUN.
Because that's what it's supposed to be about, fun, right?
Gijs van Dun Aug 16th 2010 8:36AM
I only play (read Idle around in orgrimmar untill someone needs help with anything) for the social aspect of the guild.
I used to raid with the guild, but raiding just is so boring atm, I only join if they really need me, otherwise I just hang around.
Groth Aug 16th 2010 8:10AM
I think the reason wow keeps us playing is because how social it is. In RL if you make plans with people, then you keep them. Most people end up having real friends who they play with- even if they never meet in person, and you keep plans with your friends.
The players I know who have quit and stayed quit are the ones who care more about the numbers than the other players.
After all, there must be something that keeps the casuals coming back as well as the raiders.
Oskjable Aug 16th 2010 8:14AM
I don't, but I think almost all of us have quit, or taken a break atleast once.
I know it might sound silly and simple but one thing that have made me go back many times is actually the music.
Twice have I started because I accidentally came across WoW soundtrack on youtube, filling me with nostalgia and making me wanna play again.
Tri Aug 16th 2010 8:16AM
I can really follow you on the music thing.
I bought the wotlk collector's edition, and it came with a soundtrack CD, which I've heard many, many times. I also often (in fact, also right now!!) have youtube running in the background with some part of the soundtrack playing (lately it's been A Call to Arms and Song of Elune).
Just listening to the original log in screen music.. NOSTALGIA!
brian Aug 16th 2010 2:48PM
Hearing the Cataclysm login music has me nostalgic for the future, if you pardon the Dresdencodak reference.
Tri Aug 16th 2010 8:14AM
I like WoW as a game, but the ONE reason that I still play after well over 5 years, is the friends I've made through the game. I've tried getting hooked on other games, but it never lasts. I miss my WoW friends..
But I also have the BEST guild ever with some people that really fit my twisted sense of humor, and we have SO much fun playing together. Especially voice chat enhances this experience (I wish blizzard would work on improving the ingame voice chat, as it'd be a good too....)
Also, like someone said above - Blizzard has the most amazing sense of humor. I often find some new quest or other little "gimmick" that makes me chuckle :)
Plus I love the lore / story of WoW. I can't wait for the Cataclysm to hit for even more story to explore :D
jmyson Aug 16th 2010 8:16AM
I play to quiet the voices in my head.
Elazul Yagami Aug 16th 2010 8:23AM
plain and simply because i'm addicted.
I can't even state one reason.
Elazul Yagami Aug 16th 2010 8:25AM
Oh and the lore.
I love the damn lore.
Namy Aug 16th 2010 12:49PM
Me too! Tonight I'm looking forward to logging in because I'm doing the Storm Peaks qsts again. I love the epic storyline surrounding Loken and the other Watchers. Alganon coming to check on the state of Azeroth after Loken's demise etc, amazing stuff. I love a good story, sucks me right in :)
Joker Aug 16th 2010 8:29AM
I don't like Nerds or Canadians so i don't play for the community.
I play for the story.