In most social circles, it wouldn’t be unheard of to hear a small talk about Madden or perhaps even Halo. Both of these games seem to be in the public eye and accepted for the most part as just video games. Amazingly enough, while WoW is a game, it seems to have this ugly stigma that those who play it are social outcasts. I was recently at a Starbucks working on a website (Funny enough, I don’t like coffee) and I overheard two guys talking about WoW. My ears of course immediately turned attention and I did let out chuckles when one guy referred to the Warlock class as “broken”. Nonetheless, I continued on my website till I heard two women scuff at them as “losers”. I hate to say I wasn’t shocked that outside individuals who don’t play the game would assume that but looking back over, these were two businessmen. They were dressed head-to-toe in what one can only assume were mucho expensive-o (terrible Spanish attempt) and apparently good jobs since the Mercedes outside didn’t fall out of the sky.
Why is a game that really differs in limited ways to others outside the fact its popularity is widespread, seen in such a negative light? Well, the only assumption is that people who don’t understand something, are the first to voice an opinion about it. and at least for WoW, it’s generally a negative one.
Why do you think WoW is perceived in such a negative light?
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May 15th, 2009 at 12:05 am
I get that a lot. Everyone who doesn’t play WoW seems to absolutely hate it, and everyone that does seems to absolutely love it. It’s likely to feed their egos, as I see no other reason for it.
May 15th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Yeah, I don’t have any problem talking about the video games I play, except when it comes to WoW. Theres such a stigma attached to it that I’m afraid to mention my addiction in public. =D
May 15th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
First time post here,
It’s a funny thing talking about WoW. I’ve got about one buddy I can talk to about it becaues he plays.. happens to be one of the best druids in the world at that
so I enjoy talking to him and getting some advice since I’m still relatively new. But if I am around anyone else talking about video games it will never come up. I got no problem mentioning CoD games or Madden or MLB but the second WoW is brought up… oh man, I may as well leave.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I think we have South Park to “thank” for this. If one’s never played World of Warcraft, then their only experience with it is likely the “Make Love Not Warcraft” episode of South Park.
People say WoW players are losers because they think that the only people who play are morbidly obese people who do nothing else but play.
In my experience, people who’ve never heard of WoW at all think it’s cool (like when they see me playing it on my laptop or when they ask me what my Alliance hoody is all about). It’s just gamers who’ve never played WoW and people who’ve seen that South Park episode who dislike it.