: Is Skyrim The Next Marriage Killer?

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Is Skyrim The Next Marriage Killer?

You know, given that radiant quest system in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that technically makes the gameplay almost limitless, maybe spouses have to worry.

I well remember "EverCrack" and an organization formed due to its heavily addictive qualities; I believe it was called "Wives Against EverQuest," or something like that. In general, if I were to guess, I'd say that when it comes to legitimate cases of video game addiction, 99% of the time, it's due to an MMO. It's the combination of an immersive fantasy world and the ceaseless drive to level up and progress from an individual standpoint.

Although Skyrim has a narrative and the game can be completed, it has a lot of the same elements found in MMOs. I only just realized this; I made the connection as I found it difficult to tear myself away from Bethesda's latest. I'm free from its clutches now - got way too much to do, and I've never had a personality prone to obsession or addiction - but I sensed the drive to keep playing at the cost of any and all free time.

You could dump hundreds of hours into this game without a problem, and I'm wondering if this is the latest "marriage killer" in the video game world. Sure, there are plenty of hardcore Call of Duty fans but then again, I feel online multiplayer has a few of those addictive elements found in MMOs...essentially, CoD online isn't much different; it may not be "massive" but it's definitely "multiplayer online," and some people can't seem to stop.

But The Elder Scrolls is different. Gamers want to lose themselves in another world; simple escapism could become something a tad more dark and dangerous. So the question is, will we start seeing spouses flipping out over the amount of time their husbands are spending with Skyrim? I have a feeling we might...

11/11/2011 Ben Dutka

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Comments (55 posts)

Alienange
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 9:38:51 PM
Reply

I got 99 problems but the wife ain't one.

Agree with this comment 21 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

LimitedVertigo
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 9:45:23 PM
Reply

Not for me I'm not married and I don't plan on buying this game.

Agree with this comment 3 up, 15 down Disagree with this comment

LimitedVertigo
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 9:51:34 AM

Oh no! I don't plan on buying a game you're going to buy, you better downvote me!!!!


Agree with this comment 5 up, 7 down Disagree with this comment

TheAgingHipster
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 11:58:05 AM

And what makes you think you weren't downvoted for being unwed? Think we're all Skyrim elitists or something? Way to pigeon-hole everyone there, Vert.

</joking>

Agree with this comment 4 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

jimmyhandsome
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:37:13 PM

Oh no! Someone is incredibily insecure about being downvoted!!!!

Agree with this comment 3 up, 8 down Disagree with this comment

LimitedVertigo
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:42:02 PM

Good point Hipster :)


Jimmy you're an idiot. I'm simply pointing out the rest of the bunch in your group that offer ZERO to this website.

Agree with this comment 4 up, 2 down Disagree with this comment

jimmyhandsome
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 1:20:20 PM

Oh no I was down voted twice!!!!!!!!!!

Gonna go sulk in the corner and feel bad about myself now.

Agree with this comment 2 up, 4 down Disagree with this comment

LimitedVertigo
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 1:22:38 PM

^
Perfect example of why you're a worthless commenter.

Agree with this comment 3 up, 3 down Disagree with this comment

jimmyhandsome
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 1:24:38 PM

Oh no! An idiot AND worthless to this community?! As if these downvotes didn't already have my self-esteem and self-worth at an all time low...

LimitedVertigo, you have a highly inflated opinion about yourself and your "value" to this website. No one cares, bruh. Try not to take yourself so seriously, it was a joke

Agree with this comment 6 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

LimitedVertigo
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 1:36:02 PM

^
...and another.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 3 down Disagree with this comment

Jawknee
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 3:46:09 PM

It is pretty cowardice to thumb down and not offer a rebuttle as to why. I'm not getting this game either. To be honest it looks pretty lame and I'm not sure why everyone is drooling over it.

Jimmy, if you didn't care like you claim you wouldn't have replied to his post in such a trollish way. Your comment to him served no purpose other than to antagonize and pick a fight.
Last edited by Jawknee on 11/12/2011 3:48:38 PM

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Underdog15
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 9:44:59 PM

It's not always cowardice, Jawk. I downvoted Jimmy every time in his responses to LV. I don't need to explain why. It should be obvious.

As for LV's OP, I thought it was mildly clever.

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Kurosaki116
Sunday, November 13, 2011 @ 8:26:04 PM

I must say I have been reading this site incognito for a while and I always enjoy yours, Jawkees, Ben Dutka's and The Highglanders comments, you all are the best posters around here especially ben since he well writes the articles :P

Agree with this comment 0 up, 3 down Disagree with this comment

Temjin001
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 9:50:08 PM
Reply

The big issue I see with MMORPG's come from the social obligations people end up creating for themselves in order to progress to real high levels. I've encountered people, even friends, who could not commit to something of precedence at a certain time and place because they already had a prior, usually even scheduled, commitment to WoW engagements, or like-MMORPG. These large scale party raids could very well last 4 hours or more in a single session. Many of which demand multiple play throughs to succeed.

Basically, I see MMO's like what happens when Facebook meets open ended, better yourself game design. Where something like Bethseda;s games aren't quite that, because they lack the Facebook(social) aspect. Which I dont as quite recognize as the same intoxicating blend of an MMO game of similar play structure. And thankfully, in single player games that let you save anywhere, it's even less of an issue.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 11/11/2011 9:51:10 PM

Agree with this comment 5 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

TheAgingHipster
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 10:28:55 PM
Reply

It's already begun in my house.

Agree with this comment 4 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

BikerSaint
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 10:36:51 PM
Reply

Well, lucky for me right now, no game can wind up as a relationship killer cause it's just the 3 of us here...me, myself, & I.

Agree with this comment 8 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

godsdream
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:02:07 PM
Reply

I'm not married yet and to be honest I think this game will keep it that way at least for a little while.....

Agree with this comment 9 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

LegendaryWolfeh
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:13:30 PM
Reply

Just started playing, and holy poo. I find this game SO much better than oblivion. I just couldn't get into oblivion but lo and behold. This is amazing...though I did get annoyed when I walked up to a battle to hear, "Oh Thanks for the help!" WWWHHHAAA Girl, I JUST got here, back off >o

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Beamboom
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 3:49:42 AM

Better than Oblivion? Omg it's not even comparable. Skyrim is in a league of it's own!

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frylock25
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:14:42 PM
Reply

while im not married my gf already complains how much time i spend with my ps3 and how much i ignore her. i dont even plan on getting this game any time soon but i have already had this kind of effect from other bethesda games. fallout 3 sucked me in so bad i did nothing but play it for months. mag had me playing for 8 - 12 hours at some points.

best of luck to you that are married and playing this.

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Highlander
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:20:07 PM
Reply

happily married, and happily she's a gamer and even more happily she loves White Knight Chonicles as much as I do, we we're happily questing away with each other and friends on WKC2 - I put hundreds of hours into WKC, and anticipate doing the same with the sequel. I'll stay away from Skyrim, one addiction is enough.

Perhaps the solution is simple, marry someone that shares your interests, and make sure you have two PS3s, two HDTVs and two copies of the game...

Agree with this comment 7 up, 2 down Disagree with this comment

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:28:11 PM

The bitter part of me wants to tell you that you SUCK. The mature part of me congratulates you. ;)
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 11/11/2011 11:28:20 PM

Agree with this comment 13 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

frylock25
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:34:11 PM

hell yea you suck... i mean that is so cool for you highlander. im not jealous one bit (dick) hope you have many more gaming years with your wife.

Agree with this comment 5 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Highlander
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:37:34 PM

Did I mention that she loves Pro-football? And Anime?

OK, I'll leave now...

;)

Agree with this comment 15 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:26:41 AM

Now you're just talking nonsense. :)

Agree with this comment 16 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Dante399
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:28:37 AM

I'm not jealous but I do have my wife who played Final Fantasy 7. It was the only RPG that she played, oh I forgot she started Legend of Legaia but she stopped short. Now all I see is her behind her iPhone playing maybe Angry Birds.

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

fatelementality
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:37:29 AM

Believe it or not, my gf likes games (mostly WoW & the Sims) & Anime & loves to watch me play Skyrim. Yeah, I feel lucky everyday. Cheers Higlander.....cheers.

Agree with this comment 3 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

steventoo
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:38:56 AM

High five, dude. My wife and I have a similar situation, except she just usually plays vicariously through me - I have the controller, but she's directing. It makes for a unique experience because we both have different angles on what's going on. Oblivion, and now to an even greater extent Skyrim, give us a great co-player experience. No marriage wrecking here.

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

kokoro
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 2:48:33 AM

I seriously have never met a female gamer.

Agree with this comment 4 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Jed
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 2:53:15 AM

Damn, I'm jealous.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Oxvial
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 6:16:35 AM

So you married your player 2, that's pretty cool you lucky bastard.

Agree with this comment 13 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Temjin001
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 10:16:56 AM

And my wife loves to read. She reads anything from all of Jane Austin's books to Debbie McComber's stuff. She balances me out because all I really read is programming language books and Star Wars Episode 3 book. hehe yeah, I'm cool.

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Temjin001
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 10:20:51 AM

Oh, and I just finished Deuteronomy from the old testament the other day. Good o' Moses, setting them sinners straight ;)

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Kurosaki116
Sunday, November 13, 2011 @ 8:27:14 PM

I think I will be in the same boat as you highlander when me and my girlfirend eventually tie the know she loves gaming and other things i love and this will definitly be one of our passtimes :D

Agree with this comment 1 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

ulsterscot
Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 11:54:23 PM
Reply

wife hates gaming - i hate reality shows

guess how we work it out ...

Agree with this comment 3 up, 1 down Disagree with this comment

Beamboom
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 3:06:45 AM

... You get the TV for gaming sessions if she gets to see the reality shows, right?
Dude, that's *exactly* how I got it too!

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Dancemachine55
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 1:29:49 AM
Reply

If I had a girlfriend or wife, she wouldn't have to worry about me ditching her over a game.

I would find time to play games, but I wouldn't let it eat into time with her.

I'm a bit of an old school romantic, and pretty darn shy. Your typical nerdy guy, except for the fact that I workout frequently and love dancing. :)

Agree with this comment 0 up, 3 down Disagree with this comment

Beamboom
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 3:08:30 AM

You love dancing?! Really? Who would have guessed... ;)

Agree with this comment 9 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

___________
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 2:52:32 AM
Reply

thats the best part of the game though, you can sit there for hours on end and not even make a dint into it!
now only if they could make the gameplay fun!

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Oxvial
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 6:14:13 AM
Reply

Probably and when virtual women get released nobody would want to be near a real one xD

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Aerifale
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 7:25:28 AM
Reply

I've just woken up after a 13 hour play session with Skyrim. That was my first time playing the damn thing........ohhhhhh dear >:)

Agree with this comment 2 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

ZenChichiri
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 8:20:41 AM
Reply

I'm sorry Skyrim, I'm already married...to Dark Souls! But I'll divorce it soon and marry you next.

Seriously though, my girlfriend here in Korea is really surprised at the quality of games I show her. She is used to MMORPGs and subpar shooters, so when she saw some really narrative driven games she was immensely interested. We played through Catherine together, and I got to help her with her English while doing it. She really liked it, but of course there were some awkward moments when I was asked things like: "Who would you choose, your friends or your lover?" or "What is considered more cheating, physical or emotional?".

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Excelsior1
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 9:59:02 AM
Reply

If a videogame can kill your marriage I would say maybe your marriage was not that strong in the first place.

I just noticed I have the same avatar as Aerifale. Sorry, I did not mean to copy you. I guess I will change mine.

Agree with this comment 3 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Aerifale
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 12:01:55 PM

Don't worry bout it lol anyone who likes Auron is a friend of mine :D

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Beamboom
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 10:09:37 AM
Reply

Hopefully you can get a spouse in Skyrim then! :)

Agree with this comment 4 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Teddie9
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 2:21:47 PM

since I have no partner, that's the plan :p

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Beamboom
Sunday, November 13, 2011 @ 10:17:02 AM

Had it been BioWare behind a game of this magnitude we would both have been able to get a spouse *and* offspring. :)

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Temjin001
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 10:18:03 AM
Reply

I just noticed that the title of the article reads "Skyim"

It's the end of the world, I know =p

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MrAnonymity
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 3:20:37 PM
Reply

My wife loves watching me play. She's more into simple platformers herself, but she thoroughly enjoys watching me go on epic adventures in any of my RPGs. Skyrim is definitely no exception. So I guess, in some situations, it can bring couples closer together.

Agree with this comment 1 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Underdog15
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 9:48:16 PM
Reply

Moderation is key with anything in life.

Chances are, if a game, no matter how good it is, causes you to damage your relationship with anyone close to you, let alone your wife, then the game is not to blame.

Timing is everything. I can still put hundreds of hours into my favorite games, but it doesn't hurt my relationships. And when times, like this past week when we had our first baby, I have only played for about half an hour... because I know where the hell my priorities are.

Once we get into a rhythm with the young one, you know I'll be playing games again. And I will lose myself in any world I want to.

Agree with this comment 3 up, 0 down Disagree with this comment

Ultimate_Balla
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 10:28:55 PM
Reply

That's some great sxxt over there, Underdog! :,-)

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La_Bete12
Sunday, November 13, 2011 @ 12:41:17 PM
Reply

I'm single. Maybe now that Skyrim is here that's a good thing :)

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poisonedsodapop
Sunday, November 13, 2011 @ 1:39:25 PM
Reply

Some guy came to buy this today where I worked and he kept begging my manager to not say more about the game's awesomeness. The reason of course was his wife standing there silently absorbing everything said lol.

Seriously though, not to be sexist but some days I'm glad that I'm a girl gamer as opposed to a guy gamer. It'll be easier to convince any future spouses I need my game time lol.

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SS4
Monday, November 14, 2011 @ 9:56:08 AM
Reply

Not for PC gamers, as most, like me, are pissed at the stupid console UI we are stuck with lol

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Robochic
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 @ 5:57:27 PM
Reply

I'm pretty lucky we've been married 7 years and as long as we get our stuff done and the kids are in bed we usually do our separate things if he wanted to play this game fine by me as long as he doesn't do it when the kids are up or home fine by me :)

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