My party and I approached the ledge cautiously.

We had just ventured through the dangerous Redridge Mountains, and now before us stood a large group of violent orcs. We prepared for battle; we knew their leader, the “elite,” was the key to victory. Eliminate the leader and the rest shall fall with ease. My chain mail armor clinked and glistened as we approached. I charged in; the epic battle had begun.

Settings like these and other worldly adventures take place in the increasingly popular multiplayer online role-playing game, “World of Warcraft”. Since its release in November of 2004, World of Warcraft has achieved over 1 million subscribers in North America and 4 million worldwide, according to the New York Times. The success of this title has brought the online role-playing genre to the masses. However, with worldwide success comes a new backlash: Internet addiction.

Many recent stories of Internet addiction have involved online role-playing. So what has Blizzard done to make its game so addictive?

World of Warcraft’s popularity comes from its appeal to both casual players and hardcore fans. The key aspect of the game that pulls in such a large audience across age groups and gender lines is the game’s social experience.

“The game allows players to have conversations with individuals, hundreds of people at any time, all having the same interests,” said Corey Quan, a junior computer engineering major.

Quan, along with others, would agree that they are in some way or another addicted to the game. In Quan’s case, the game has become very time-consuming, reducing time he could be spending with his girlfriend.

Fortunately for him, rather than have his love for the virtual world affect his natural one, he has brought loved ones with him on his online adventure. “I started playing because if I did, then I could spend more time with Corey,” said Christina Patton, a junior Biology/Pre-nursing major.

Unlike alcohol, drugs or gambling, no tangible or physical loss results from Internet addiction. Recently in South Korea, a young man died after fifty hours of non-stop gaming.

Like all vices in life, moderation is the key to recovery and it is the individual’s responsibility to manage life outside of the virtual realm. Hopefully future U.S. policy won’t mirror that of China’s, where a law may be passed that deters gamers from playing more than three consecutive hours, according to BBC News.

Yet, for many of the World of Warcraft gamers in America and worldwide, the game is just a pastime. The beauty of the game lies in it subtlety. It is up to the player to choose the pace they want to play. The game has become an extension of one’s self, in which hundreds of hours are dedicated. Yet, Quan’s girlfriend has chosen to play the game at a more casual rate, and enjoys the freedom the game allows.

In the end, the game doesn’t force you to play it, and neither does the Internet force you to connect. But don’t let online gaming, Myspace browsing or AIM chatting get in the way of what we all should be here for: an education.

Andrew Stiffler can be reached at [email protected]