An Interview with Dan... World of Warcraft enthusiast

I recently managed to catch up with former gaming fanatic and close friend Dan Leadbetter, to discuss the effect that World of Warcraft has had on him, and how he feels about MMOs (massively multiplayer online game) in general. I asked him a series of questions that I felt would give me a better understanding as to why the franchise has become so popular over the past few years...

1.Where did you first hear about World of Warcraft?

My friends at school 

2. What was it that first attracted you to the franchise?

The fact that all my friends were always talking about it and recommending it, and obviously the online aspect that meant I could play with them and thousands of others. 

3. How long did you play it for?

Around 2 to 3 years.

...and why did you decide to stop playing?

 I stopped playing because of a new game version that I didn’t like, and it meant that I would have had to play more hours to reach the same level I was before. I didn’t have enough time alongside my college work, and I felt that the designers had introduced a system whereby every 6 months a new installment would completely change the game (I found myself constantly harking back to the ‘good ol’ days’ )

4. WoW is arguably one of the biggest online-gaming franchises. What makes WoW stand out from other MMO's?

It is easy to play for any gamer, whether serious or occasional. This is as opposed to other MMO’s that can be too in depth and complicated for a casual gamer. Due to the large numbers of other players, the game play heavily features teamwork and in game interaction, as well as a thriving online community. It is also backed up by an extremely popular RTS (real time strategy) upon which it is based and takes its storylines. 

5. Do you play any other MMO’s.

I tried Star Wars Galaxies, but found it too abstract and involved for my casual gaming style.

6. Some people consider online gaming to be an addiction. How many consecutive hours have you spent in one session?
 
No more than five hours

7. Has it affected your daily or social life in any way, and if so, how?

I suppose I could have been reading or doing something useful like learning an instrument instead of playing WoW. I wouldn’t say it affected my social life more than, say, television does now, and I would always choose real life social events over playing online. 

8. Internet MMOs have a negative reputation in some circles; players are often referred to as ‘Geeks’ or ‘Nerds’. Do you think this a fair assessment?

Sure there are people who get completely immersed in the online WoW environment, and it consumes an inordinate amount of their time. However, I disagree that they should be branded ‘Geeks’ or ‘Nerds’ any more so than gamers who play other games.

9. What kind of investment and preparation advice would you recommend for a new gamer?

 Make sure that you can pay the monthly fee (around £10 a month?) and try to limit your hours on it – don’t fall into bad habits of playing too late at night, or playing before a certain time on weekdays.

10. Finally, what do you think the future holds for MMO’s? Is it just a fad, or will online gaming just keep growing?

I believe they will continue to grow, both in this country and worldwide (especially in developing countries such as China, India and South America).