Coping with Virtual Addictions

I woke up late in the afternoon to the sounds of swords clanging and cries of pain echoing throughout the basement. Feeling the effects of my sleep-induced stupor, I staggered across my dark bedroom and into the area of the basement my friends dubbed "Nerdtropolis." To the left were two glowing computer screens; a zombified corpse occupied each screen. I stumbled over someone's mattress on the floor as I tried to make my way to the shower. I then carefully stepped around a computer table set up in front of the washing machine that had a stack of pizza boxes piled up next to it. Further down, just to the right of the bathroom door, was the last segment of the cancer zone that we had created. It, too, contained several glowing monitors and devices.

To some, the scenery described above could be regarded as a typical afternoon following a large party. The truth of the matter is, none of the individuals in the story had drunk any alcohol. In fact, aside from attending class, none of them left the confines of the basement for at least a week. This scenario comprises another day in the life of a World of Warcraft player.

World of Warcraft (WoW) managed to earn itself a place as one of the most talked about video games in history. Friends, family and co-workers are exposed to many stories about the game. Whether it be addiction, people meeting others of similar interest, or just facts about what the game is, information about WoW can be found everywhere.