Well, seeing as  how I have a decent broadband connection, I've been doing more and more digital purchases it seems. I have a Steam account, so I've bought some games through Steam, and also I have used direct2drive as well. Some of the reasons for doing this are just being plain lazy and also getting some games I can't find on the shelf. So rather than wait a week or so to get my PC game from amazon.com, I just go to some digital distribution service and download it from there. Also, it's cheaper because I don't have to pay shipping or tax on top of the retail price. So that's another plus.

However, there are some issues with doing this. If you don't back up the installation files, you'll have to download that crap all over again if you ever get a new hard drive or computer. But a smart person will burn these to DVD for backup after downloading. Also, some games are just too big to justify downloading. On EA Link, you have the option of preordering Command & Conquer 3 and downloading it through EA Link. But the game is freakin 4 gigs approximately. Even on cable, that's going to take a while. I'd much prefer to just walk into the store and just grab the box.

So, I think digital distribution is good if you have a fast connection and the game you are trying to download isn't too big, relatively speaking.

Well, lately, I've been interested in getting a Wii. Some of the new game announcements for it have finally prompted me to have the urge to plunk down my dinero to own one. So, of course I go looking for one, and they are no where on the shelf. I called Gamestop, they will be getting some at the end of the month but don't know when. These suckers are still selling like hotcakes. An interesting thing to note is that you can easily score a PS3. They have a stack of them at Best Buy. To me, that shows that the clear winner at this point in the next-gen console war seems to be Wii...at least when compared to PS3 (not sure what 360 sales are like compared to Wii). So, I have no idea when the heck I'll be getting a Wii seeing as how I can't find one in my area and all online retailers seem to not have any for sale either. Ah well, patience is a virtue.

Lately, on various forums, the subject of MMO addiction has been cropping up. As a player of Blizzard’s insanely popular World of Warcraft, this caught my eye. It seems Blizzard has earned somewhat of a reputation for being “highly addictive” and is often perceived in a negative light. In fact, even players are often labeled as “losers with no lives”. However, such observations are made by the ignorant who probably have not even played World of Warcraft for any length of time at all.

Firstly, anything can become addictive. It is not Blizzard’s fault for making a good game that is fun to play. If people lack self-control, that is their problem, not the game’s. Second, you’d be surprised at the type of people who play this game. No, for the most part, these people are not living in their mom and dad’s basement slaving away on their PC’s. They come from all walks of life. To say these people have no lives is making a blanket statement that is false. Third, World of Warcraft is no more addictive than any other MMO on the market. What about the Everquest players? Or any other MMO for that matter? MMO addiction has been around since the first MMO’s were ever created. It is neither Blizzard’s nor World of Warcraft’s fault for these people’s addiction. They have only themselves to blame.

But is “game addiction” really that bad? In my eyes, gaming is a legitimate hobby. If you weren’t gaming, you’d be sitting on the couch dazed in front of the television, or any number of unproductive activities. To me, gaming addiction is about as harmful as enjoying a game of Scrabble. We’re all “addicted” to our favorite hobbies, whether it be MMO’s or stamp collecting. So, on that note, I must disagree with the naysayers who have nothing better to do than trash World of Warcraft, and MMO’s in general, even though they don’t even play them to know what it is like.

World of Warcraft only gets so much grief and attention because it is extremely popular. If Everquest was still number one, everyone would be complaining about that game, but they don’t, because now World of Warcraft is king and they are taking pot shots at it because of its wild success.

World of Warcraft has actually done a lot of good for the MMO industry. It has brought MMO’s to the mainstream; to people who probably wouldn’t otherwise touch an MMO. No longer is it some arcane hobby of elite computer nerds. It has become commonplace and people will always rebel against the mainstream because it’s somehow considered cool to go against the grain and fight the norm. But hey, to each his own. You can’t please everybody.

And so in closing, I congratulate Blizzard on their success with World of Warcraft, and here’s to hoping that it will enjoy many more years of success.