divorced because of a video game....

[pica5104]

Saw this on Yahoo tonight and thought wow!

Wedding Woes: The Dark Side of Warcraft

Popular online PC game is causing marital discord.

By Mike Smith
Although best-selling online role-playing game World of Warcraft boasts over ten million subscribers, it's also leaving in its wake an increasing list of casualties.
Even though she's never played the game, 28 year-old Jocelyn is one of the fallen. A well-spoken California resident, she divorced her husband of six years after he developed a crippling addiction to the smash online RPG.
"He would get home from work at 6:00, start playing at 6:30, and he'd play until three a.m. Weekends were worse -- it was from morning straight through until the middle of the night," she told Yahoo! Games in an interview. "It took away all of our time that we spent together. I ceased to exist in his life."

Jocelyn had been friends with her ex-husband Peter since the age of 13, but it took only nine months for her marriage to collapse.
"I bought the game for him for Christmas 2004, when it first came out. By May we had our first serious discussion about where our marriage was going, and by September I had moved out," she said.
Jocelyn recalled one particular incident that was typical of Peter's habits. "I had set aside 30 minutes for us to watch a television show together, and he couldn't. He was stuck on a raid, and completely failed to understand why I was upset," she said.
Peter's domestic duties also suffered. He stopped paying bills, she says, and refused to do his share of the housework.
Jocelyn doesn't hesitate to cite Warcraft as the main reason for her divorce and remains emotional about its impact on her marriage. "I'm real, and you're giving me up for a fantasy land. You're destroying your life, your six-year marriage, and you're giving it up for something that isn't even real."
Despite their differences, the couple remains friends, and although Peter still plays World of Warcraft, Jocelyn says he made an effort to cut down after their split.

A gamer herself, Jocelyn briefly worked for World of Warcraft developer Blizzard Entertainment, although not on the title that proved so damaging to her relationship. "I recognized that this was a game that would never end, and that's why I chose not to play it," she said.
"They build it in such a way that you have to keep putting more and more time into it to maintain your status. I remember thinking when I was married that it was downright exploitative to people who couldn't control themselves in that way. It's set up like a drug."
Asked if she would consider marrying another Warcraft player, Jocelyn laughed. "That's actually one of my primary criteria now -- I don't want to marry someone who is a gamer."
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Posted: 13 Feb 2008




HAS ANYONE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR GUYS GETTING TO INVOLVED IN A GAME?

[Mrs.Alchemist]

Whoa! Crazy! I think that some people are just prone to addiction... and perhaps our dearly beloved are addited to aviation, so perhaps we are, hopefully, in the clear...?

My Hubby likes to play world cup soccer, and I chuckle to myself when I think that he is 29 and probably playing against 14 year olds in Argentina, but... He's got it under control.... For now!

[ccbegay]

37yr BF here, who plays Nascar08, for hours on end...let's just say we've had discussions about this, especially when I come home to hungary animals and poor Kenz who has got to go OUT! and for me, there is something that just makes me cringe to hear a car rev-up now...

[pica5104]

Jim got out of the whole I want to play video games for hours but guess what? Its Nascar season
my only day with him is Sunday and thats when the races are on....sometimes he will pretty much ignore me but he is home to relax and he loves Nascar. I have to put up with it....I have no friends in AZ to just go out with...and what makes it worse no car

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Alchemist

Whoa! Crazy! I think that some people are just prone to addiction... and perhaps our dearly beloved are addited to aviation, so perhaps we are, hopefully, in the clear...?

My Hubby likes to play world cup soccer, and I chuckle to myself when I think that he is 29 and probably playing against 14 year olds in Argentina, but... He's got it under control.... For now!

on which game system? we have that game....we might have to get together and play sometime!

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by ccbegay

37yr BF here, who plays Nascar08, for hours on end...let's just say we've had discussions about this, especially when I come home to hungary animals and poor Kenz who has got to go OUT! and for me, there is something that just makes me cringe to hear a car rev-up now...

I used to do the same thing... after a while, they grow out of it and it gets boring to them...


until the next game


the best thing to do is instead of misery loving company....misery joining company! hahahha

[Mrs.Alchemist]

Originally Posted by Kristie

on which game system? we have that game....we might have to get together and play sometime!

Yeah, we have Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007, I was just informed... It's a PS2 game, but we play it on the PS3... Well, he plays and I watch... These new controllers have too many buttons for me, I am still at that Nintendo Super Mario Brothers level, you know? My attitude about it is much like yours, though, and I am trying to hop on the band wagon and enjoy it, too!

[BAC]

World of Warcraft has also been linked to suicides. It kind of is scary how some people can't control themselves with that game...

Eh, boyfriend likes to play a golf game when on the road and will occasionally play Flight Simulator still... other than that.. haven't had a problem yet.