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There is a Yahoo Group with 2000 members dedicated to it, and below is a "digg" comment from a distressed girlfriend of a victim of WoW, the mindless and completely pointless intangible "game".
"Do you have a loved one that plays World of Warcraft so much that youfeel like you are a widow? This group isn't just for wives, but foranyone, husbands, girl or boyfriends, mothers, fathers, sons ordaughters, or anyone that has had a relationship affected by thisaddictive game." Quite a few members too. (2000+)
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/WOW_widow/
RebeccaJvil wrote:
I have a boyfriend who is completely drowning in world of warcraft, andI don't really care that he wants to play, or whatever. It's hischoice. But what pisses me off is that he won't give me a few minutesto say "Hi, how are you?" Instead, like he did on friday, he opens thedoor and runs back so he can finish his game and mind you, he lives ina building. I was made to walk 3 flights by myself in a place I've onlybeen to three times in my life. Last night, I wanted to talk to himabout being a little rude lately, and I wanted to ask him to lay off abit, to which he laughed and didn't take me seriously. He thought I wasbeing accusatory and I was wrongfully accusing him of things he didn'tdo. Believe me, and I think all girls will agree, but you just knowwhen someone, especially your boyfriend, is giving you complete edge.Like last week, before the break, he was like, "Oh, I can't wait to seeyou, I miss you...bla bla bla," now all I get is a, "Sure, why not."I'm not asking him to give up the game for me, I'm not asking for hiscomplete attention. All I'm asking for is at least a good five minutes.Is that so wrong? Just a little respect and consideration. Last friday,I was there for two hours and I literally spent more time with hismother because he had a "quest" to complete. I was telling him this,and I noticed he wasn't listening, and I asked if he was. He replied, "I am, but what you're telling me is unimportant." I was shocked. Isaid, "So, you think that everything I'm telling you is unimportant?"and he said, "Well yeah." I was literally going to cry, and lots ofpeople think I should have slapped him, but we were on the phone so Icouldn't. I'm usually quite talkative, as in I like a goodconversation, but I was growing quiet, which is what I do when I'mupset, and he asked me, "Are you going to say anything," I said, "Whatdo you want me to say?" He said, "I don't know, but if you're not goingto say anything, then you are wasting my time." I was completelyfloored. Shattered if you will. I asked, " So are you saying I'm awaste of time?" to which he bluntly said, "Well, if you're not going tosay anything, then yeah you are. I'm busy playing and you're justwasting my time and it's pissing me off." I'm not one to cry often, butthat did it. I cried. That was one of the most hurtful things thatanyone has ever said to me. I mean, I've had worse, but....Holy shit.Pardon my language, but, is this what becomes of those who becomeaddicted to this game? I had no idea that it was "wrong" for aconcerned girlfriend to ask for just a few minutes of her boyfriend'stime. Anyways, my mom found out, she somehow involved herself and wasyelling, but I told her to go away. I'm a teenager so, yeah, you knowhow it is. She later said I was wasting phone and life time for thisarguement, which of course just frustrated me even more. Then I endedup being late for school this morning, and she yelled at me saying Iwas stupid for arguing, and I was just being pitiful. I'm barely everlate, I'm actually quite early. Then I called her after school tellingher I was going to Paul's house and she wouldn't let me simply becauseshe thought he was "crap". I didn't do anything wrong, and I was beingpunished for a mere arguement that was no concern of hers. I told Paul,and he simply brushed it off his shoulders, told me to call him later,and hung up. No goodbye, nothing. Later on msn, he asked, "So I guessI'm not seeing you for a while huh?" and I said, "Maybe not. But thinkof it this way, more playing time for you." He didn't note my sarcasmand replied, "That's right! Oh man! That's great!" My boyfriend isfalling for this game and he's bringing our relationship with him. Idon't hate the game, I just hate what it's doing to someone I careabout. You may critisize me, saying I'm just a miniscule littleteenager, what the hell do I know. I'm only 16, I "haven't seen theworld yet". Well, I've seen enough of this world. And if all it has tooffer is warcraft and a boyfriend that will say those things to me,when a week ago they were things he wouldn't dare say, then I thinkthis world needs to be remade. I think there needs to be a limit. Buthey, what do I know?
Comments read...
Quote:
I knew a couple who got divorced over WoW. The husband was too busywith WoW to help with the kids. Wife tries WoW, gets even morepathetically hooked than husband. Eventually the husband has a "WoWaffair" and wastes even more time with his online wife. I'm not sayingthey had the best relationship to start off with but it definitelypushed them over the edge.
Quote:
That guy was a pretty big prick, but she can't have much self-esteemfor actually putting up with that shit for that long. I mean, she'sbeen to his house 3 times? Sweet jesus, there's other fish in the sea.And they all don't smell of BO and Mountain Dew burps.
Quote:
This guy obviously has a serious problem, with both the game andrelationships. There is no reasonable way to justify his actions.
I have spent more time than I should playing WoW. After you realize howmuch time you waste, how little you've accomplished in both WoW andreal life, it makes you kind of sick. WoW gets boring once you've doneeverything a few times.
Quote:
Ive had to kick out one roommate, and now im going to have to kick outtwo more because of World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI. They allquit or lost there jobs, and instead of getting new ones have sat therefor about 4 months now doing nothing but playing wow. When I cut offthere internet because they werent paying, the just went to friendshouses and stayed there for days.They have actually skipped out oneating, paying bills or rent, or showering and cleaning themselves justto play WOW and FFXI
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2005/6/21/547
(Neglected child dies while parents play WoW)
Quote:
Athat a young girl, nicknamed Snowly, died after playing World ofWarcraft for several days straight during a national holiday. An onlinefuneral service was held to commemorate her passing a week after herdeath. .
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27466
It is interesting to note that during the past several months most, if not all, cases of videogamerelated death have occurred within Asia- China, South Korea and Japan,rather than Europe and North America. This highlights the difference invideogames culture between East and West.
I'd rather stick to RTS's or FPS's, They require strategy and have good communities (Im not saing MMORPGs don't , but the people who play them are diiferent to the people (Like James Coombs) who play MMORPGs