The Final Edition

World of Warcraft: The Virtual Drug

Coauthored by: Kevin McBroom & Jillian Landau

      All around the world at any given time, a night of video gaming is about to unfold as the evening's sole source of entertainment. “Where once a rented movie, a night out with friends, a few drinks or a good book might have sufficed for the evening, more and more people are finding themselves passing time by slaying opponents, helping their groups with missions or gaining experience points toward a higher level or rank.” Although this would have been considered the height of social awkwardness and almost unheard of ten years ago, it's now becoming more and more common. What is the force that is making more and more people elect to stay indoors and forgo actual socialization for that of a keyboard, mouse and screen?

      It started back in 1972 with the release of Pong. Even with its simplistic, two dimensional, graphics, the epic Atari game could keep players occupied for hours at a time. Since then the gaming industry has seen quite a few advances in technology- Nintendo, Sega, Playstation, Xbox, and the like. Every time a new system was introduced more and more of the general population became ‘gamers’. In 2008 92% of kids under 18 were playing either computer of video games. No doubt the numbers have increased. With this development, addictions to smoking, alcohol, and gambling were no longer the only vices affecting the masses. With the arrival of computer games, massive multiplayer online (MMO) games specifically, gaming addiction soon joined the ranks of the most common and unhealthy addictions, sweeping over youth like an epidemic.

     It’s been over thirty years since Atari released Pong, the game which spawned a gaming revolution. People have been gaming for years, so why is gaming addiction causing such an outcry now? Some are now claiming that games are no longer instruments of vicarious entertainment, but virtual drugs. Exactly what is this quality and why does it entangle some but just roll off the back of others? Research, studies, professional opinions, and personal player testimonies will offer a firsthand perspective into this ever growing debate and also the problem that some feel plague many of the youths, and some adults of today.

      As the name implies, MMO's are games that support thousands, and now millions, of players at one time. Players interact, in game, with other players cooperating and competing with each other. It is this aspect of gaming that entices so many people to begin playing. Many MMO games like World of Warcraft are said to have one thing in common; they have a very addictive quality to them. But can a game be made with the specific intentions of making a player addicted or are there other factors involved? With the massive multiplayer online game World of Warcraft (WoW) almost always at the forefront of the mind of the lynch mob these days it will be the focus of this social inquiry.

      Currently topping the MMORPG market with over 12 million players is the worldwide phenomena known as World of Warcraft. WoW was released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004. Since then two expansions have been released and the game has amassed over 12 million monthly subscribers, making it the number one MMORPG in the world. In World of Warcraft players either play alone or as part of a guild, a group of players working toward a common goal. They fight battles, opponents, and even sometimes each other in order to gain experience, money, and most importantly, a higher level. WoW requires access to the Internet, like all MMO games, so players are also able to communicate with other WoW players all over the world in real time. Further adding to its appeal are several programs which allows verbal rather than just written communication. These and other aspects which make World of Warcraft so popular and appealing are also the same aspects those who oppose the game feel are responsible for causing addiction.

      Before hearing the two sides of the spectrum one needs to know what constitutes addiction. Sometimes referred to as massively multiplayer addiction, or MMA, this affliction is becoming a real problem and is now considered one of the behavioral addictions, a group that includes compulsive shopping. People in the field claim that gaming addiction is not all that different from drug addiction in that the release of dopamine to brain pathways is present in both. This accounts for the feelings of euphoria during gameplay. Gamers who are truly addicted will show any or all of the following symptoms:

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  social disruption: work and school take a backseat, most non-work or school hours are spent playing, falling asleep at either, becoming socially distanced

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  mood modification: lying about amount of play time, becoming irritable, easily angered , annoyed, or violent, experiencing feelings of euphoria during play , more apt to conflicts that disrupt school, work, relationships, and family

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  physical symptoms: carpal tunnel syndrome, back and neck problems, dry eyes, headaches or migraines, and even neglecting personal hygiene

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  Isolation: choosing to interact with people through the Internet rather than physically in the real world

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  Withdrawal symptoms include: anxiety, panic attacks, sleeping problems, and depression

      A Massachusetts psychologist has been a very outspoken in her assertions of the addictive qualities of WoW. In 2006 clinical psychologist Dr. Maressa Orzak claimed that about 40% of the then 8 million WoW players were addicted to the game. Dr. Orzak is also the director of the Computer Addiction Study Center and feels that though this number is only a fraction of all the players it is a significant number nonetheless. She continues to state that, “the lure of new adventures and accomplishing quests or missions with a group of people keeps competitors coming back.” Dr. Orzak adds that, “WoW is designed so no one can win.” She and other critics of the game claim that Blizzard has strategically and purposely designed the game to be addictive by nature. Liz Wooley, whose son committed suicide while playing another popular MMO game, EverQuest, goes so far as to state that some game manufactures will require their developers to have psychology degrees in order to make the games that much more addictive. She also created Online Gamers Anonymous, an environment meant to aid addicts and/or those they affect.

      Professionals aren't the only ones making their feelings known about WoW. A quick search of the Internet can pull up many varying accounts of MMO addiction. Part of the problem, one article stated, was the task called 'grinding'. In WoW this refers to players doing mundane, often repetitious and time consuming tasks in order to achieve higher levels and experience. A video appearing on YouTube a few years ago featured a British teenager with an apparent addiction to World of Warcraft. His parents stated that his whole attitude and mood had changed since he began playing. He was also becoming more violent since he started playing the game. His actions are caught on camera and as he is playing you can see his agitation grow as things don’t go his way, sometimes ending in his punching walls. He even slips into an “American” accent while speaking to fellow players via the Internet. When asked why he does it he replies that he just picked it up. He claims that he can walk away from the game anytime he wants, he just doesn’t want to. This a classic response from an addict who is unaware of their problem, similar to those used by smokers and drug addicts. Continuing the subject South Park, a popular adult cartoon, aired an episode which followed a group of young kids who become enthralled in the game. The episode satirically covered different forms of WoW addictions.

      A former WoW addict created his own site, WoWdetox.com, to aid in his recovery from the game. The site allows addicts to read the testimonies of other addicts in the hope that they can relate with them and maybe begin to recover. When the site was launched in 2006 it began with about 400 posts from people trying to quite. Six months later the site boasted over 12,000 posts. These posts range from players claiming they need a way to not play so much to women desperate for their husband's attention away from the game. One post in particular made a correlation between WoW and cigarettes. He said that, “WoW and cigarettes are incredibly similar in a lot of ways: Addictive, bad for your health, and it makes the companies a lot of money.” A doctor even made a claim that substance addicts might even have it easier than game addicts in that they can stop substance abuse anytime, but people use computers nearly everyday. The post goes on to comment on how Blizzard must be laughing their way to the bank despite the addictions to their game.

      Although there are many in the world who could easily argue that the effects of role playing games, WoW, in this case, are detrimental the youth of our time, some argue the exact opposite. Gamers and professionals both feel as if Blizzard and its popular MMORPG are being made an unjust scapegoat. Constance Steinkuehler, an education professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been studying WoW players, including herself, for quite some time. She believes that the game creates better citizens. "Kids today are growing up in thoroughly networked global spaces. Players hang out and engage with one another in informal social ways," the professor said. "Most people go for the game and stay for the people.” At a recent conference she quoted a Wired magazine article and said that gamers, “treat the world as a place for creation, not consumption.” In WoW players succeed but utilizing scientific problem solving skills and serious discussions. The WoW communities, “are doing academic work of the sort we want to see in learning environments.” Players will attest to the fact that though it is a game WoW requires skills such as common sense, literacy, logic, teamwork, and the like, in order to succeed. Isn't the same true for succeeding in the real world?

      World of Warcraft is a type of 'online universe' that is always changing and updating, allowing for a new and challenging experience every time. It even provides an outlet for stress, an escape from the monotony of reality, and a place in which the player is completely in control. All of these aspects can possibly lead to addiction, but despite that Prof. Mark Griffith who has published lists similar to the previous one says that, “it is not the game itself which is addictive but it is the circumstances in which the addict lives or his current mental state which could dictate whether or not the player becomes lost in this alternate reality.”

      Blizzard Entertainment high-ups also disagree with the accusations of WoW's inherent addictiveness. Chief operating officer Paul Sams, in an e-mail, stated:

 “Like most other games, our games are designed to be fun and compelling and should be recognized as another means of enjoyment, such as watching television or reading books. As with those forms of entertainment, it is ultimately up to the individual player or his or her parent to determine how long he or she should spend playing our games.”

 For a game blamed for being purposely addictive Blizzard does what it can to help its players avoid it. In the game 'experience boosts' were given based on how much time your character was rested, that is, how long you didn't play. The game's loading screen itself even makes the bold statement to take things in moderation.

      For a more firsthand and personal perspective on the subject several of my(Kevin) high school students were asked to write a little about their WoW experiences, why they play, why they think people get addicted to the game and why certain things happen in the game. All those that were interviewed were 18 and male. It would seem, though it's not necessarily the case, that WoW is a much more male intensive pastime. This could be for the simple reason that the number of females that would enjoy hacking and slashing things is few in number, although my very distinguished co-writer, Jillian, is a very important exception. (A case compiled by Nicholas Yee, a leading MMO researcher, sheds more light on that assertion, breaking down the numbers.) The four teenagers made the same points as have already been mentioned. One 17 year old said one of the reasons he plays WoW is, “because the game is interesting due to its depth... There are so many different things you can do...” He especially appreciates the 'intricacies' and 'endless possibilities', aspects that have been both praised and opposed since the game's inception. The interviewees went on to divulge that they usually try to self-limit their play time, although that doesn’t always work. One in particular told me that he had played for over seven hours in one sitting and didn’t even realize that amount of time had passed. In another of the interviews one of the students makes a great point when he said that, “the reason people would get caught up and be addicted to this game is the constant change in the aspect of the game. Every few patches, you will have to change your charging style as well as getting unique toys that only few people have.”

     With more and more people, teens especially, seeking communication and social relationships through the Internet, it seems as if MMO's like WoW are becoming the 'coffee houses' of the next generation. For many still, it may be the only way they can communicate. Is it the ever-changing and never-ending scenarios of World of Warcraft that is so intoxicating to millions of people and drawing them into a quagmire of a non-reality? Or is it just a sign of the times in a digital age? Whatever the reasons the testimonies from researchers, doctors, parents, and players prove that World of Warcraft is a game that has long arms, arms that reach many different people with many different results- and those arms are only getting longer.

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