I think my boyfriend is developing a WoW addiction?

[loremazd]

Thanks for all the replies guys I've read all of them.

I'd never dump him, no matter how bad this gets.
If I said it's me or the game I have no doubt he'd choose me but as some people have pointed out I don't want to take his game away from him completely.
Taking everything into account, I think I'm going to tell him I'm worried due to his previous addiction and make him see I'm not over reacting, then try and agree on some sensible time limits. If he needs further persuasion to log off then I may do as several of you have suggested and resort to something more crude lol.

Pleasantly surprised at the number of responses it's been a huge help getting some different perspectives

Everyone needs help from time to time, there's no shame in that. If anything it really speaks volumes to your intelligence for seeking the help of other people who play games to better understand him, as well as to how much you care about him to try and better understand his hobby.

So, well done, I think you'll do just fine.

 

[kouriichi]

You want my tip?
Tell him theres a balance between the two of you.

Or just play WoW with him. Nothings more fun the gaming nude with your soul mate. ((thinks back to naked rockband))

 

[00slash00]

i dont understand how people get so addicted to that game. it bored the crap out of me. in any case, if he has a history of becoming highly addicted to games, you may have a problem on your hands. monitor the situation. if it gets to the point where hes playing more than 8-10 hours a day, have a serious talk with him (or just find out his information and cancel his credit card)

 

[Batsu-sama]

This coming from an ex-WoW addict, all I can really say is be kind, but firm in your methods. Sit him down and talk to him, do NOT get aggravated with him, he will only slam the proverbial door in your face. Try your best to wean him off it, set some limitations with him, and see if you can get him to agree to setting the parental controls with ONLY YOU knowing the password. Do not let him know it.

Also as mentioned before, try to get him out of the house and doing other fun activities, does he have any other interests that he follows along with RPG's? Try taking him out to something related to one of his other interests.

Maybe get a few friends involved, see if you can get them inviting him and you out on a regular basis (Even if it has to be without him knowing it was pre-organised).

I will admit for me it was a little harder to break said addiction since I was working "second shift" at the time (3pm until 10-11pm), then would go home, play WoW until pretty much sunrise and sleep until a couple of hours before work. Some friends noticed that I was not getting out much and in the end helped me start spending less and less time on WoW until it has gotten to the point where I am on maybe an hour or 2 a week, with no current interest in buying the new expansion.

I hope it all goes well, but if the gentler methods don't work, then yes, sex sells, and if that doesn't work, then it may be best to 'move on to greener pastures'

 

[RocksW]

Thanks for all the replies guys I've read all of them.

I'd never dump him, no matter how bad this gets.

Thats nice, just dont let him know IMO. If he feels he might lose you he'll change. Even if youre in love and want to stay loyal theres no harm in making him worried the odd time...?

 

[Scythas]

If you have your boobs out and he says wait a minute let me finish this quest, then you have a problem.

This.

 

[xxcloud417xx]

If you have your boobs out and he says "wait a minute let me finish this quest" then you have a problem.

Nice...

It doesn't hurt to try does it? Make sure to do it while he's doing an instance or raiding though

My GF actually does exactly this and I always go running to her lol. Do it! (not even joking I left a raid for sex more than once.)

 

[Demodeus]

Well as an ex-addict (does 5000 hours in one year count as addict?) I seriously advise against talking to him about "addiction" as in his eyes it will just make you look like his mom nagging at him all day. Setting up rules like he may only play for a maximum set of x hours per day wont work. You seriously have to get him to QUIT by any means possible, anything else does not work. And I dont just mean stop playing, I mean quit as making him give away all his belongings and deleting his character.
If his love for you is strong he will make the *right* decision.
Oh yea, there is one thing that makes this hard: He just wont know what the hell he should do all day long since he now has so much free time. Be there for him in that "time of need" else he will relapse very quickly.

100% subjective

 

[Calico93]

Change his password, then if this happens
Run for the hills.

 

[Imp Poster]

Taking everything into account, I think I'm going to tell him I'm worried due to his previous addiction and make him see I'm not over reacting, then try and agree on some sensible time limits.

While your at it, try and make him see what you see. Hopefully, he is rational/open minded to see what you see and what you are worried about. Maybe even getting him to admit he may have a problem or he can have a problem with being addicted to video games.
Maybe try and get him open up about what he sees in these games, why he plays so much. Getting him aware of his problem or potential problem would be maybe the first step.

I know I was there and addicted to them at one point. The label of powergamer has a problem because you have to play many hours doing many things on MMO, that you are pretty much consumed in the game. I have seen others live in MMOs, maybe including me. Hanging out with other powergamers is also one of the fuels. Trying to keep up with other powergamers, you know? Games like WoW is easy to get into because there are facets of life in it that can make you play for a long time. I know a guy who lives in WoW just on crafting. I think he spends more time being a master crafter with every craft possible than actually, raiding or PvPing. He makes alot of money in the game and he has people kissing his ass for stuff he makes. It's his power that he likes that everyone in game likes him or has a need for him, I guess.

 

[JoshGod]

I would recommend getting into gaming. It should help you spend more time together, it may allow you to appreciate it and then mayby if not already you could introduce him to something you like. also at the very least it will allow you know thy enemy. After all fighting a war you don't understand is frivolous. And you never know you could become addicted. Also i broke my MMO addiction by force (my password didnt work, i probly got hacked as my character was quite wealthy) It wasn't great but after a few days it wasn't so bad by 1-2 weeks i didn't care.

Summary
Play games with him.
Try to get him into other things without making him go cold turkey.
Try to keep him to that 4-5 hours a day limit (which will be easier if you're playing with him unless you get addicted).

 

[Wolfram23]

What El Poncho said... (probation??)

I was mildly addicted to WoW in the past, when it first came out... and then again after all the expansions come out lol. It's a very immersive game.

First off, I'd definitely talk to him about it. Maybe ask him if he think it's reasonable to set some limits. Like, only on two or three nights a week he can play it - enough time that he can do a couple raids and get whatever other stuff he may "have" to do in the game (daily quests).

Also I'm sure he would absolutely love it if you could play with him. I know I'd love to get my girlfriend to game with me, and WoW is really a good one to start with because it's big, social, and there's a ton of opportunity for cooperation.

Sadly, I more or less lost my first girlfriend due to WoW... but let's not get into that lol.

Don't know what age you guys are, but I'm now 24 and definitely still love gaming, but I've also matured a lot since those days. I game for maybe 10-15 hours a week now. I even got Fallout New Vegas - a game I've been hugely anticipating - and only have about 7 hours on it (and no other games since buying it).

Unfortunately, WoW takes up so much personal investment it is extremely hard to get away from it, especially since he's clearly still very much enjoying playing. I ended up getting bored because of in game friends moving on and also the dungeons/raids got boring so I felt it was time to get my real life back lol. However, if he does quit or seems to get a little board of it, take the chance to have him delete the game and cancel his account, and then don't let him play an MMO again...

 

[bad_dog14]

You should be worried. First off, whatever you do, do NOT delete his WOW account. Not if you want to live. Second, try your best to distract him from the game (last resort is getting your tits out and if that doesn't work, he's hopeless). Third, do not in any way try to delete his WOW account. If you do, he will tie you up in the basement and torture you. Fourth, try to monitor his playtime.

And as a last last resort, give him a blowjob while he's playing. If he doesn't notice you, you can go kill yourself there's plenty of other fish in the sea.

Good luck (and don't say you didn't try)

 

[podrain34]

I'm afraid there's only one thing you can do.




Roll a paladin.

They got nerfed, i'd tell her to roll a gnome "anything" just so she always has something to laugh about while she's playing XD

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

If you have your boobs out and he says "wait a minute let me finish this quest" then you have a problem.

Nice...

It doesn't hurt to try does it? Make sure to do it while he's doing an instance or raiding though

Even though there was a suspension related to this joke, I would point out that this exact method was used to demonstrate the presence of MMO addiction in Mac Hall (the character refused sex in order to finish a quest), and as the solution to MMO addiction in Ctrl-Alt-Del (Ethan is hypnotized by his girlfriend's breasts and she uses that to break the addiction). So, while the comment was inappropriate, it does have foundations within two (and probably more) relatively popular comics that appeal to a similar demographic as The Escapist.

 

[Ph33nix]

4 to 5 hours a day is boarderline problem by its self thats 28-35 hours a week and if thats all thats on his mind thats a problem.