By Corbin Hosler, Columnist
Corbin Hosler
Stormwind Keep is silent tonight. In a few hours the fortress will be filled to the brim with heroes gathering to face the looming threat, but on this night the streets are empty as word of the coming Cataclysm spreads. There is no casual fishing. No traders bartering on street corners. Just guards standing watch as their enemies multiply outside the castle gates.
World of Warcraft is the most popular role-playing game ever, with more than 12 million active subscribers. I met about 100 of them the night of Dec. 7, at a midnight release party for Cataclysm, the game’s third and most recent expansion.
I’ve played the game off-and-on for a few years, but I’ve never been to a midnight release event.
I arrived at GameStop, 7640 N.W. Expressway, at about 11:30 p.m., a full hour-and-a-half after those in the front of the line. I’ve met enough “gamers” to know that the stereotypes are often wrong, and I immediately was reminded of this fact as I took my spot in the back of the line.
After a few minutes I began talking to a few of the people in front of me, and they were far from the typical image of a World of Warcraft player.
One father was there with his son, who he said played the game with him, but only after his homework was done.
Another man talked to me about how he found time to play while balancing work and his girlfriend (hint: it involves a lack of sleep).
We all agreed that we’re not sure what it is about the game that is so addicting; what it was that led us to stand in the 30-degree weather and wait to receive our copy of the game.
But there we were, freezing and talking and laughing like we ran into each other outside of Alvin’s Cafe.
The people I’ve encountered who play the game share some common experiences.
They enjoy playing World of Warcraft.
They have active social lives.
They know what it’s like to have a hobby that some people look down on them for, even make fun of them for.
Walking out of GameStop carrying the small bag that contained countless hours of entertainment, I was again struck by how relaxed everyone at the store was.
No one was pushing in line, no one was complaining about the cold. It was 100 people content to be surrounded by others like themselves who understand why sometimes it’s nice to escape to a world where they can be themselves. A World of Warcraft.
This column initially appeared in the Jan. 12 issue of The Campus newspaper.
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