I Wrote this for my college news paper The Daily Titan at Cal State Fullerton but I figured I may as well post it as it is video game related

Many of you know about the massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft (WoW). If you don’t play it already, chances are high that you know someone who does. With a subscription number of over 11.5 million, it can be assumed that WoW has a grip on someone you may care about, or even yourself. Much like the addicted smoker, logging on to WoW can make players feel hopeless and not in control of their own lives. Well good news, you can indeed quit WoW. With the help of this article and a supportive group of close friends, you too can quit WoW, or help a friend temporarily or permanently quit WoW.

Step 1: Avoid WoW Drama

If you play WoW with a group of friends you have no doubt experienced this all too common and unnecessary travesty. WoW drama can be caused by a seemingly infinite amount of events, but a major catalyst of WoW drama is when a friend suddenly quits WoW. When quitting WoW, make sure everyone you are close to gets plenty of notice before you quit. Let them know why, give them your email, and let them know you are up for talking “in real life” (IRL for you WoWers). Surprisingly real life relationships are just as beneficial as WoW relationships.

Step 2: Guild Relations

When your character or characters are in a “Guild” within WoW you must give prior notice of your decision. Much like having a job, you are part of fine tuned, well oiled, and efficient killing machine known as a “Guild.” Also much like having a job, sudden abandonment of this position can create serious consequences as dungeon raids are planned weeks in advance, and you as a guild member have an obligation to these raids. So when quitting WoW please, like youR current real pay roll job, give a two weeks notice to your guild leader.

Step 3: Don’t be Dick

Much like dying, that’s right dying, your character is going to have plenty of “epic” items in his or her bank that will go to waste. If you are inconsiderate and greedy you are going to keep it all to yourself forever like King Tut in his tomb full of unused riches. Instead go about it Mother Teresa style and donate all your best materials and epic items to your closest WoW buddies. This will not only improve your standings with friends before quitting, but if you choose to come back, guildies and friends in general will welcome you with open arms.

Step 4: Doing the Deed

Finally you can be free. Log on to your account and cancel it. Don’t worry you can do this. If it’s really that hard call up a friend and ask them to do it for you. Once your account is frozen and you and your credit card are free from the burden of paying $14.95 to a faceless entity, you have completed the hardest step.

Step 5: The Proverbial Nicotine Patch

Quitting cold turkey is for soulless robots, androids from the movie Blade Runner and badasses. Most normal human beings, no matter what the addiction, need something to focus their left over energy and effort on. So when quitting WoW it is necessary to have something to put that left over dungeon raiding energy on. Your best bet is another non-online video game. Try playing normal single-player RPGs, or even some first person shooters. Better yet start reading books or comics.

Step 6: Level Up!

Grats! If you have been without WoW for more than two months or for those serious addicts three months, you have achieved your goal of quitting WoW. Whether it be temporarily until the next expansion, or permanently thus appeasing your girlfriend’s, parent’s or friends’ concerns, you have successfully ventured further than most have dared. Enjoy the world outside of WoW, it has been waiting for you.

Hopefully this guide has helped in someway and I myself will be taking a break from WoW. I know Azeroth, Outlands and Nothrend are waiting for me, but there is so much out there. Other video games, books, and my hopeful career are beckoning me. Farewell WoW, not until the Cataclysm expansion shall I wander your vast terrain, and I look forward to our future meeting.
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