I played WoW for about a year. Growing up playing various RPG's, I was always a fan of the genre - so when a friend recommended it, I thought it a natural step for me, and potentially something I could really get into.

I invested a moderate amount of time into playing, and I found both questing and PVP very enjoyable. I think my main character was in the mid-fifties when the day came that I had my moment of clarity, suspended my account, deleted my charaters and uninstalled the game.

My leaving was grounded in the profound sense of pointlessness that had been building in me for some time. I couldn't deny that I enjoyed playing - but I realised that the excitement that built in me as i crested each new level was very quickly dulled in the moments after I spent my skill points and put on the new armor (or wielded the new weapon) that I was holding, ready to use at level-up. Every time it happened, I would look to my next level pretty much instantly - think about what I needed to do to get there, and what I skill points I would spend when I did. I also normally would look into the next-level equipment I could use, on online wikis and by browsing the auction houses.

That's when I realised the true nature of the beast. With no real end in sight (I reckoned Blizzard would be releasing add-ons for years), and potentially infintely customisable characters - my thirst for achievement would remain unquenched. I knew there was always more gear I could get my hands on as I ranked up - but I never cared what other players thought of me, my armor, my pet (my main was a hunter), or my mount. I didn't care at all - so it had to go.

I just knew that one day I would have to quit it, and when I did - how would I feel about the hundreds of hours spent killing raptors or grinding through quests? I had to get out.

One of the best decisions I ever made.