WoW

Just so you didn't think I was biased towards a single game, I also picked up a game time card for my World of Warcraft subscription yesterday. I haven't quite decided when to plug it in though. For those who don't know, game time cards are used with online games as an alternative to using a credit card for monthly billing. They were originally developed for young kids who could buy the game (Everquest probably), but didn't have a credit card and couldn't convince the parents to let them use theirs. I've discovered they're a great way to avoid paying for games you don't play anymore though. With a recurring bill, you get tagged $15 each month for your game subscription, regardless of your usage. The rub comes when you have almost stopped playing the game, but haven't remembered (or are too lazy/reluctant) to cancel your subscription. Using game cards, you buy two months at a time, and then it stops unless you plug in another one.

World of Warcraft is a fun game, but I got tired of it a few months ago. On PvP servers, it's all about ganking or playing in a group to avoid being ganked. As a level 47 warrior who got 99% of those 47 levels solo, I was starting to be the target of roaming gank squads, and I didn't care to be forced to run instances with others. So I moved on. Now, with a new expansion coming, I feel like being around for that, at least for a month or two. Buying a game card now means I can have a two month fix of the game whenever I feel like it, which might be today, or might not be until the expansion actually gets released.