Video games can be a lot of fun, and it's easy to sit around and play them for hours. With exciting worlds, fun gameplay and expansive social communities, games are only getting more and more immersive. While most of us are able to limit ourselves without too much of an issue (beyond the odd gaming binge every now and then), there are some for whom video games have become their lives. In particular, massively multiplayer games such as World of Warcraft and EverQuest have a tendency to completely absorb players with unusually addictive personalities. Beyond just health issues, there have been a number of cases in which players have become too obsessed with their favourite games. From hurting others to betraying loved ones, it's entirely possible for certain video games to trigger the worst in people. In the nastiest of cases, video game obsession has even led to murder. This list takes a look at some of the most terrifying tales of obsession, that highlight the real-life dangers of video game addiction. While they're all extreme cases, and incidents like the ones detailed here are rare, it could be worth re-evaluating just how long you spend in front of a screen.
10. Woman Prostitutes Herself For WoW Gold
In order to progress in her virtual life on World of Warcraft, one woman was prepared to undergo particularly undignified acts in real life. In exchange for in-game currency, a female player advertised on Craigslist in 2007 that she was prepared to perform sexual acts on anyone in her game server. The woman was asking for 5000 gold in order to purchase an 'Epic' flying mount, what was once a notoriously expensive status symbol in Blizzard's MMO. As she put it in the Craigslist ad, if someone could fund the flying mount, then they could mount her. In a follow-up ad, the woman revealed that she had been inundated with messages from people willing to accept her offer, and that she was upset with the popular reaction. In her mind, she was just offering a service in exchange for something she wanted. Which is totally cool, right?
