Yesterday, my blackberry exploded with phisher emails from “Blizzard” and “Battle.Net”. I’m talking like 500 messages. I should note that I have no active game with them.  When I noticed I was then getting “undeliverable message” reports from my email address, it was time to go to the PC and check my Google account. Sure enough, Google informed me that my account had been accessed in Japan, China and South Korea. Way to perpetuate the stereotype there fellahs.

In the course of the last week, I spent my time working on a compromised Aion account, changing all my NC Soft passwords and Aion account information and submitting a ticket with support. This was then followed by last night’s fun of changing my Battle.Net email and passwords. I’ve changed all my email passwords yet again and have even changed my Battle.Net password to some obscure free email that I’ve never even heard of before, with a plan to use that email for it alone. My thinking is that I’ll know without doubt if the account is hacked because that is the only thing I’ll have ever used that email for.

I find it overly frustrating to spend that much time securing accounts for games I will most likely never play again. Right now, Blizzard/Battle Net have nothing I want to play or plan on playing. Aion can suck it. I don’t think I’ve ever hated a game as much as I came to hate that one. With GW2 upcoming, I do have concerns regarding NC Soft and that account. But when these farmers hack into my personal shit, like my gmail account, or I see my real name and address linked to billing for Aion with some credit card that is not mine, it really pisses me off.

As angry as I get with these farmers/hackers/powerleveling services, let’s face it: if there was not a demand, there would be no need for supply. I’ve never understood the need to “cheat” in MMOs. If a game is too grindy (I’m looking at you, effing Aion), I quit and find something that is more enjoyable. If I need currency, I try to find ways to earn it and just wait it out. But I am a pretty casual player. I’ve never been overly concerned with having the best gear or that sparkly show horse.

I understand even less why one would want to use a power-leveling service. One of the things I enjoy most about MMOs is the journey. I like exploring. I like the development of my character. When WAR threw up those level 40 templates during beta, I found it really hard to play. I had not learned how to fully play that class. If it is too hard to level a character, guess what? I find another game that is more enjoyable. As much as I loved CoH back in the day, I never got to max level. The curve was too steep and I became bored and eventually moved on. What I do not do is pay someone to play for me. I’m not dishing out any more real money for virtual gain than that 15 bucks a month for my subscription.

I game to have fun. That’s all I want. I play MMOs to socialize and hopefully be playing with long time friends. I don’t need to be the best (thankfully, because I’d never be happy). I don’t play to have all the uber gear to show off. I don’t game to pwn n00bs to make myself feel like a bad ass. Because I game to have fun, this increased level of phishing and hacking is bringing me down. I don’t like to spend my time securing my gaming accounts so thoroughly and frequently. 

So why do you game? And do you worry about the future of gaming with the increased level of phishing and hackers?