It's Just Abbey

The blonde stands up clutching her elbow. Her eyes dart from person to person wildly as her head hangs to the ground. Her whole body twitched wildly. She opened her mouth and no sound came out. She looked out of place and uncomfortable. Someone handed her a headset with an adjustable microphone. She sighed in relief and said with a hushed voice…

Hi Internet. Yesterday, I started playing World of Warcraft again.

Gasp!

Background check. I started playing a few years back and buried myself in my room roaming the vast lands doing quest after quest. I too once thought it was a pointless game and the only people who played were basement dwelling freaks. Well, I was right about the last part to a degree but once I start playing it was impossible to stop playing.

Now, when I initially started playing I was in a friends basement (yeah yeah) and three boys over my shoulder pointing at all kinds of things on the screen explaining all the buttons and controls. “Left, left! Go left!” This had happened after a long argument about why anyone would think World of Warcraft was worth so many wasted hours. I broke down and decided to give it a go. I rolled a troll and was off and running. After about level five, I just got annoyed with the pointing and advising. “I SAID LEFT!” If there’s one thing I hate its being coached. Backseat gaming infuriates me. I didn’t get the bug that night but I did get a small taste of curiosity. After a few days I logged back in and played on my own. It was amazing! Exploring, chatting and grinding. So much better without someone telling you what to do.

Two years and several hundred man hours later I finally logged off for the final time. Goodbye Orgrimmar… The horde will have to do without me. Hopefully they would survive without their trusty troll rogue.

Last night I decided to give it another shot. You know, just for funzies. I even started playing Alliance for reasons I still don't fully understand. As a loyal Horde I felt a twinge of regret but ignored it. I rolled a gnome and started my killing spree. Then I looked up and it was 2am. Goram it! I didn’t wanna sleep, I didn’t wanna eat… I just wanted to play! I wanted to raid, to farm, to grind. AH! It felt so good to play again. A part of my soul was refilled and I—

Wait a sec. I had quit playing and lived a normal life. What was happening? I couldn’t imagine how I survived without playing!

I finally came to the conclusion that Blizzard is an evil evil company. They created a game that is playable by anyone. From newb to leet, you can enjoy the game. It like the Sims or Spore. You have no idea why you would start playing until you install it. After the game is on your computer you can’t stop. You have no family history of addiction but it is now starting with you. Somewhere down the road your grandchild will be in the doctor and explaining that you were a wild WoW addict. The doctor will shake his head solemnly and run a few more tests.

It is the beginning of the end for me. I’m not sure if I will be able to stop anytime soon. I have too many enablers in my life. Gamer enablers are the worst kind. “C’mon… Just one raid….” But it is never just one raid.

It’s never just one raid….