The WOW Obsession
WOW – World of Warcraft is one of the most popular games of our generation. When the recent expansion went on sale at midnight, shopping malls were queued with players, many of who hadn’t seen daylight in months, and shared one common interest, a computer game they call WOW.
World of Warcraft, and games like it have created an obsession, in game characters take priority over real life, and being part of a guild is like having a second job. For those who haven’t experienced the effects first hand, it is hard to imagine, but slowly and surely, the game replaces real life activities and normal life is put on hold.
For a wife or partner of a WOW player, life can become a challenge. “Raids” are usually at night time, and often meals are eaten at the computer because they are just too important to miss.
While there is one small glimmer of hope for the neglected WOW wife, on Tuesdays the servers go down, and it is an opportunity to spend time with your loved one. Many may think this is an exaggeration, or a case of the minority, but it has happened time and time again.
Have you ever heard the saying “I am going to start playing WOW again, but I promise this time I will only play it casually.” You remember the first time around, things got way out of hand, and their character became their focus, and to your dismay the only talking point.
It is almost impossible to play WOW on a casual level, it is the kind of game that is all or nothing, and is set out in a way that it can be virtually never ending. This is only a generalization of course, there would certainly be people that avoid the obsession, but without the compulsive need to play, reaching level 70 would be a battle.
Being a neglected WOW wife, or husband for that matter, is a huge challenge, and anyone sticking by their partner deserves all the credit in the world. If you are going to let him go back to playing WOW, make firm and clear guidelines so your own happiness is not sacrificed.
Creating a simple contact will be helpful, with severe punishments for breaking the rules. A contract should include a few basic and perhaps obvious points:
- Must eat 90% of meals at the table
- Must do some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day
- Must spend xxx nights with your partner, and not just Tuesdays
- Only one all nighter allowed per xxxx
Punishments could involve housework, a break from the game, or other chores they don’t enjoy. Remember to get their signature and date, because they will try to get out of it.
If you think this is a joke, you are very mistaken, having watched not only my partner, but many of his friends succumb to the addiction of WOW, I know first hand how troublesome it can be.
Please remember, it is just a game, and it is meant to be fun. For all the neglected WOW wives out there, one day he will get tired and just stop playing.
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