World of Warcraft video tragedy
p2pnet news view P2P | Games:- For various reasons, WoW — World of Warcaft — has been getting a lot of on- and offline press, lately, one of the reasons being it’s said to be highly addictive.
It’s been called the ‘cocaine of computer games’.
So is it?
Computer gaming addiction has reached pandemic proportions, Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation (Stiftelsen Ungdomsvård) claims.
The Local broke the story and also had the foundation’s Sven Rollenhagen saying he’s, “working to create a Centre of Computer Game Addiction, an international network of professionals and organizations devoted to bringing attention to what he believes is a major public health issue”, said p2pnet.
So how much of the shock-horror news can be attributed to his desire to promote his new centre, and how much of it is down to a genuine gaming addiction problem, with WoW as the current focal point? – we wondered.
While you think about that, the extremely disturbing video below promos a flick on exactly what happens when someone of tender age is deprived of his WoW fix.
CAUTION: Do not watch this if you’re of a nervous disposition, or on a full stomach.
Meanwhile, said Jaybarti in a Reader’s Write to our story on WoW addiction >>>
I am a player and a gamer (have been all my life), I think that this is more about the rise of geek gaming culture then any set addiction. How about that for a scant $15 a month (the cost of going out to a movie) you get more then 2 hours of maybe entertainment.
People who have problems, sometimes have addictions, that doesn`t mean that everyone who plays WoW has an addiction to it. It is a game and a huge social phenomenon thus attracts a larger then average audience, and while some might be addicted to it, I would imagine that the majority are not.
These are smart guys, highly intelligent, capable of being anything — doctors, engineers, whatever. But they find themselves tempted by computer games and end up just wasting time in front of a screen, — as opposed to what, all that time we used to spend in front of the TV or the Radio. People will always seek out forms of entertainment, I know I like to be entertained.
That article smells like fear mongering to me, but then again I obviously cannot see past my own addiction. 
Said Yellowbeard >>>
Only the one who tasted life knows what he looses. I was addicted too and am addicted in certain ways right now. Problem is, that we have to change the outside world to truly live the lives we wanna live. But hell yeah, I wont watch my life go down the road away from me, lets catch up and stand up for ourselves!
Commented Manimac >>>
That article smells like fear mongering to me
Well my future son in law lets see he goes to work (after waking up with plenty of time to play wow)
Comes home from work ..right to the pc and wow ..don`t matter if my daughter wants to do anything or not !
He tells me man I wanna see this and that movie so I get them . Wanna know how many he has watched out of about 50 movies .maybe 2!
And thats just my future son in law .
Everyone else I know that plays it same thing they don`t know when to stop and smell real life.
Have I ever played it no .don`t intend to
Am I a gamer not really every now and then I like to play house of the dead.
Been about 6 months since I have launched it.
Do I watch a lot of TV yep..but then I am disabled and sit at home most of the time but .on good days stay in and watch. nope outside living !
Son in law is young and healthy .at least for now lets see how he is in about 5 years sitting at the wow game all day and half the night disabled or not I am almost in better shape than he is now.
Is it addicting to quite a few..yes to all no .!
Eric figured >>>
It`s ridiculous, what people will say about the behavior of others to try to change them.
I play WoW for hours a day, but am not addicted.
I am simply having fun.
No need to put a spin on this.
If anyone tries to take my fun away, they had better replace it with something MORE FUN!
In response to Eric, An Arse says it’s a ”puritan world”. You are to »»»
… work, and not enjoy things that are fun. You are a slave and nothing but a slave!
Although, I don`t play WoW. What annoys me is that the older generation which would spend as much time watching TV a week as the younger generation would spend playing video games, but the older generation claims they are not addicted to the TV, and claims that youth are addicted to video games.
People for some sad pathetic reason feel a need to force others to be like them.
But what’s all this about WoW? – wonderedTom Koltai.
“Sorry guys,” he said, “have to disagree. 150,000 players globaly (weekly) versus 30,000,000 for just one Facebook game?” going on >>>
I think it’s someone at WoW trying to get their numbers up by saying omg, we are addictive
Farmville has over 15 million daily users and over 32 million monthly players.
Of course, non adventure/realm type gamers seem to have a short finite lifespan about 5 months maximum.
Now you (don’t ) know.
Also check out WoW War of Internet Addiction … The Movie
(Cheers, Em)
Jon Newton – p2pnet
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
‘cocaine of computer games’ – WoW, the ‘cocaine of computer games’, September 16, 2009
p2pnet – ‘I play WoW for hours, but am not addicted’, September 17, 2009
February, 2010
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February 13th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
“While you think about that, the extremely disturbing video below promos a flick on exactly what happens when someone of tender age is deprived of his WoW fix.”
Great, another fake freak-out video that seems to be well on its way to becoming the next “Angry German Kid…”
My friend used to play World of Warcraft. He also played City of Heroes, Star Wars Galaxies and maybe a few others. He probably still does, I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since he got an even bigger addiction called “a girlfriend”. I watched him play a few times (the online games, not his girlfriend), and while they seemed interesting, they also seemed kind of pointless. The enemies constantly respawn, so basically you’re just wandering around a huge virtual world beating up the same generic enemies over and over. A huge part of the games is “leveling up” where you kill several hundred of the same enemy just to raise your character’s abilities a notch or two and then repeat.
Personally, I’d rather play a good single-player game that has a storyline and set goals. Sure, they end eventually, but at least you’re (hopefully) always seeing something new along the way.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
titanic ain’t got NOTHING on this kid!
February 13th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
An adolescent throwing a tantrum? Noooooo! That NEVER happened before WoW? Or did it? That could just as easily have been set off by the following:
“Son, we found your weed and flushed it down the toilet”
“I forbid you from seeing that slut ever again”
“Your grades are poor, you are grounded for a month with NO tv”
“If you won’t eat your vegetables, you won’t eat”
“No, you can’t have the car keys”
February 14th, 2010 at 12:10 am
honestly? i’ve played wow, and well found it kinda lame, now Eve online, there is a real mans game, and for that kid, well, i feel all wow players should be hit in the head with a shoe, tossed in a closet and forced to put what appears to be remote controls into their orifices. but thats just me, Uruz7, Eve Pirate Extroidinaire
February 14th, 2010 at 5:41 am
My best friends sister acted like that whenever her phone privileges were suspended. I have to agree with Monkey, temper tantrums are nothing new. I question the validity of the video as well, although I suppose it could just as easily be real. Reason and anger come from two different parts of the brain. When one turns on, the other turns off. Add to that the obviously spoiled nature of this young adult and the eventual result becomes quite predictable.
The real question is why WoW keeps being singled out, though I suppose in order to support the position of those claiming to want to protect us for our own benefit it makes sense. Addictions, while obviously real, are nothing new. They are caused by ANYTHING that causes an increase in the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness. Even severe pain from being tortured can become a pleasurable addiction. A great deal of whats considered enjoyable or not depends greatly on the personality of each individual with an emphasis on how they were raised. So long as there are things in this world that make us happy, the possibility of becoming addicted to those things will never go away, especially in an increasingly hostile world where escapism is a must just to stay sane.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
pure bullshit
February 15th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
“I question the validity of the video as well”
What’s to question? It’s obviously fake. The author admits it in the commets.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
I’v played WoW before but i got it tooken away even tho that is pure bullshit ik that kid it was all just an act to no one that i know or eer would act like that even if addictied.