Do you play WoW at work?

by Mike Schramm Feb 20th 2007 at 11:56AM

This would actually make a good Breakfast Topic, but I figured it'd be more appropriate if I asked it right in the middle of the workday: do you play WoW at work?

I've heard people do it, but personally I couldn't imagine how I'd pull it off. Most of my workday (when I'm not slaving away for the Weblogs, Inc. overlords here) is spent in an open office, and so even if I did find the time to squeeze a little adventuring in between my actual work, I have so many people looking over my shoulder that I'd get caught before long. Of course, when I am supposed to be writing for this site, I'm usually playing WoW anyway, so that evens out, I suppose.

It seems, though, that if British cops can get away with playing on the PSP at work, WoW is just a sneaky laptop away. So some of you out there must be playing WoW at work right now (don't worry, we won't tell your boss), but how are you possibly pulling it off? Are you just letting it run while you do actual work? Or finding some time on your lunch break to level a little? Or are you all out hacking and slashing your way through Azeroth while a conference call goes on in the background? There is always the argument that playing WoW makes you more productive, but somehow I don't think my boss would buy that.

Tags: mikeschramm, office, playing, work, workspace, wow

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Junzim Feb 20th 2007 12:00PM

I'm at work right now and a few hours ago I was grinding Primal Air. Working as a game designer has some pretty sweet perks.

Srxicey Feb 20th 2007 12:04PM

Yea I play all the time at work. I work as a computer technician so when I'm running scans on computers or if it's just a slow day I'll play WoW for several hours at work.

Richard Feb 20th 2007 12:06PM

I used to work in a small retail store and often had little to do but wait for customers to come in during our slower hours, but couldn't leave. So I'd fire up WoW for 2 two hours. Pretty much only played my rogue though, so I could vanish or stealth if I actually had a customer to take care of.

Nelson Feb 20th 2007 12:10PM

Yesterday was a slow day here. So i was able to go from 4% into level 33 to 18% into 34. Good times. =)

nccaseyj Feb 20th 2007 12:11PM

Yes, I play at work. As an Administrative Officer with a small company, I have time and access to venture into the World of Warcraft frequently. It's somewhat amusing to log out and say "It's time to leave work now and head home to play WoW".

Hooper Feb 20th 2007 12:12PM

Just yesterday I solo'd SM for cash with the sound off while my boss came in and sat on the other side of the desk and talked to him. Never stopped solo'ing SM (was in the middle of a pull when he sat) but he couldn't see what was on my monitor and I just played it off like I was working my arse off.

He bought it. Finished talking. Got up and left. Never even questioned it.

-Hooper

Jason Feb 20th 2007 12:14PM

I check my auctions from time to time, and re-post them if they expire.

Rabbidx Feb 20th 2007 12:15PM

Teach me the ways of the office gamer.

/popcorn

Luis D. Feb 20th 2007 12:16PM

I've brought my laptop to work and played a few times during my lunch break but I sit in a cubicle and have no privacy whatsoever so I'd always get passersby giving me weird looks, the kind that say, 'He's still playing videogames at that age?', so yeah, I don't bring my laptop to work anymore =/

tyger Feb 20th 2007 12:17PM

can't play warcraft at work. the computer is too slow. so i read about warcraft instead. building a gear wishlist, wowinsider, editing wowwiki, and blogging about warcraft.

Shawn Feb 20th 2007 12:31PM

I'm a minister and my work week is very fluid. I spend weekdays in my office, but I also work evenings and weekends. So since I bring so much of my work out of the office I also bring Azeroth to work.

Yes, that kind of minister. Yes, I play a priest as one of my mains. Yes, even though I'm a minister I can still kick your @$$ at PvP.

Arras Feb 20th 2007 12:38PM

the British cops you refer to did not "get away" with playing video games while on the clock. The fact that the incident was written up on several internet sites would suggest that they got away with very little.

As for playing at work, my company has a specific policy against playing any kind of games on corporate systems (they even go as far as to include solitaire!). They didn't say anything about my laptop though...but, it would be tough to find time to play for more than a few minutes given the number of people that come up to my desk

Theadrick Feb 20th 2007 12:39PM

Don't I wish... however the flip side is that work is basically the only time I have to spend browsing sites like this.

Undying Feb 20th 2007 12:41PM

I can't play at work, it's against the policy and I don't want to risk my job for this game (No job = no money = no WoW!). Even most of games web sites are blocked, except a few (like WoW Insider). But I think about it a lot, read whatever I can get my hand on the Internet, and I spend a few hours a day talking about it with my colleagues. I guess with all that time spend on WoW at work, it would be the same as playing it a few hours a day!

Larawen Feb 20th 2007 12:46PM

I play Wowisland at work, does that count?

muirA Feb 20th 2007 12:54PM

My father works out of the house (his "office" is technically his house, since the company he works for closed his office), so playing WoW while working is easy for him.

It's funny because when I'm at home, I'll come down the stairs in the morning to the sound of a Conference Call on the speaker phone, but when I peer into his study, he's sitting at his computer, WoWing away. I wish I could have a job like that someday :D

Quote the Raven Feb 20th 2007 12:55PM

I play at work everyday. I get most of my grinding done at work and I'll run quests at night if I'm able to get on. Playing at work takes a certain finesse to pull off regularly. Because if you try to do it without being caught you eventually will, so the trick is to get it to be ok with your bosses that you play. And I'll gladly train you in this skill up to 350 for 100 gold!

Hugh "Nomad" Hancock Feb 20th 2007 12:55PM

Yep, I play WoW at work, generally at lunchtime - check AH, put up auctions, perhaps grind a bit.

Of course, the fact that I'm the boss helps! And the fact that we're a small company specialised in making films from computer games doesn't hurt either.

Right now I'm writing a book on how to make Machinima, and we've actually got 30+ pages on WoW Machinima, so I've even been able to legitimately claim that I'm working in WoW!

(www.machinimafordummies.com - be warned, the site's in its early days yet).