Twenty years, in the age of video games, is an eternity. At 20 years old, a video game is generally considered “retro”: its place is more in a museum than on a PC or console, unless it benefits from a possible remake. world of warcraft (Wow), released on November 23, 2004, is however an exception: this massively multiplayer role-playing game in which, in a nutshell, the Humans of the Alliance and the Orcs of the Horde confront each other for control of the world of Azeroth, continues being largely active. . While games in the genre generally only continue to attract players by adopting a free-to-play model, Wow It still relies on a paid subscription, and every two years its extensions find millions of buyers.
If the title still enjoys remarkable vitality and resists the erosion of its player base, it is because it can be more than just a game: it is also a place of comfort, sociability and human warmth, always associated, among veterans, with memory of more carefree years, often those of high school or studies. Thus, if many ended up abandoning themselves, like the hundred players who attended the call for testimonies of the Worldoften he does so reluctantly.
Work, always work
There are many reasons why the flame may flicker. However, the same thing often arises: lack of time. “ I played a lot between 2007 and 2012., recalls Lucie, 40 years old, responsible for the environmental mission in Brest. This feeling of being totally emancipated and independent was hyper-liberating. I spent many hours there, mostly nights, including a New Year’s Eve that remains among my fondest memories. » However, he took a break from writing his master’s thesis. Coming back to it, not convinced by the new features of the latest expansion (Mists of Pandariain which “they added pandas”), hangs up.
For middle and high school students, the effects of time absorbed in Wow They are measured in a painfully objective way. “I had a completely full social life both in the game and outside of the game”says Sam, this 33-year-old computer scientist based in the Netherlands has practiced intensely. Wowfrom class 4my at 1dto the point of jeopardizing their education. “It was absolutely brilliant, but my grades took a huge hit!” I had to slow down to get correct results on my graduate transcript. “I started playing again a little later, but very sporadically, before stopping completely.”duck.
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