Blizzard's "World of Warcraft" is the world's most successful massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMORPG. (Handout/KRT) — MCT

By Skylar Smith

Daily Titan Staff Writer

Many of you know about the massive multiplayer online role playing game “World of Warcraft.” If you don’t, play it already; chances are high that you know someone who does. With more than 11.5 million subscribers, it can be assumed that “WoW” has a grip on someone you care about, or even yourself.

Much like the addicted smoker, logging onto “WoW” can make players feel hopeless and not in control of their lives. Well, good news, with the help of this article and a supportive group of close friends, you can quit “WoW” or help a friend temporarily or permanently quit.

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 this drama is when a friend suddenly quits playing. When quitting “WoW,” make sure everyone you are close to gets plenty of notice before you quit. Let them know why, give them your e-mail address 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 a 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 payroll job, give a two-week notice to your guild leader.

Step 3: Don’t be a Dick

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, you should 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 leftover energy and effort on. So when quitting “WoW,” it is necessary to have something to focus that leftover 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!

Congratulations! 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, boyfriend’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 more available in the outside world. Other video games, books and my hopeful career are beckoning me.

Farewell “WoW,” not until the Cataclysm expansion shall I wander your vast terrain. I look forward to our future meeting.