World of Warcraft: A Game with Controversial Fan-Base

World of Warcraft is a game that has captivated the hearts and computers of millions of people worldwide. No other game has brought such depth and intricacies into the world of online gaming, and no other game has brought such a controversial fan-base. Although one may proclaim to be a gamer and may play every day with friends, whether online or not, if that gamer does not play World of Warcraft, you can bet that gamer has criticized those who have; World of Warcraft players have become the archetype for what people believe is the “dark side” of gaming – hiding away in one’s own room, never socializing and always being unproductive. This is the standard that many Warcraft players are forced to live with. James is a normal 17-year old male who has one brother and lives with his family. He graduated from high school like the he was expected and plans to go to college. Why is James unique? He plays World of Warcraft. Sure, millions of people play Warcraft, why is he different? James started playing Warcraft after he switched schools and had some extra time in his schedule. At first the gaming was about just that: gaming. Soon James learned that the time spent playing was not just mindless click-and-shoot, like other games. He found himself thoroughly dedicated to the game, not because he was lazy and didn’t want to work, as many people may believe, but because it gave him something to look forward to at the end of the day. People also think that gaming equates to laziness; those are the people who haven’t played Warcraft. James is so dedicated to the game that he plans everything out, makes all the calculations, and determines the optimal strategy to achieve his goals. In fact, once James was out of school, his mother, in the absence of any homework assignments began to bug him about Warcraft. “Have you finished that quest? Have you leveled up today?” were common questions his mother would ask. This may seem fanatical to some, but think of sports. Is it any