The Daily Grind: Leaving your last love behind

Reader Comments (3)

I played WoW for 3+ years and quit without a second thought. I have enough of a life outside of a video game to not get that wrapped up in a virtual personality. It was the same way when I stopped AoC.

It's fun, and a bit sad, to see some of my friends who play MMOs refer to themselves as their character's name and tell people who don't play, and who could care less, about their virtual adventures. The friends who play EQ are the worst of the lot.

I enjoy my MMOs and play a good bit, but I just can't let myself become that absorbed in a character. It's just weird to become defined by a video game 'toon as opposed to your real life accomplishments and relationships.

To each his own, though. Maybe excelling at an MMO is someone's grandest life accomplishment.

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I work with a guy similar to that. 36 years old, lives with his gamer roommate and two cats, and every single thing he talks about pertains to MMOs. Literally every conversation I have with him will quickly revert back to what he's done in EQ2, or how his guild is doing in WoW, or what he's heard about SWTOR, how he had to borrow cash from his parents to register his car because he blew his entire paycheck on EQ2 crap and having multiple active MMO accounts...etc etc. I think I could honestly say that MMOs have destroyed his life, and he's enjoyed it.

When I feel like I'm getting tired of an MMO, or it's taking up too much of my free time, and I decide to quit, he's what I think about. His life (or lack there of) is the biggest motivator to just log off and walk away. Since knowing him, it's been quite easy for me to just log out and not think about it again.

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While I agree your friend has made some poor choices, such as blowing away paychecks. The overall sentiment that he is lower than you just because he becomes absorbed in an MMO is kind of condescending. Please understand I'm not trying to knock you or anything.

Is it any worse to be recognized for your accomplishments in a video game, rather than your accomplishments in real life?

I'm not trying to be insulting, and if I have come across that way, I apologize.

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