Aubrey Plaza: WoW > Boyfriend
You know what’s funny? People actually have been dumped over this game.
In the new World of Warcraft commercial, Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Rec, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) tells a little story about why she dumped her boyfriend for WoW. This 30 second spot is a great addition to the previous commercials featuring Verne Troyer, Mr. T, Chuck Norris, Ozzy, and William Shatner, all with the intent of getting us normal folk to buy into the WoW culture.
I say us ‘normal folk’ because I have never played the game, even though I have many friends who are absolutely crazy about it. I do believe that featuring these pop-culture stars in commercials and in-game helps to grab the attention of those who would normally brush it off. I haven’t jumped in yet, but Blizzard & co. definitely have my attention. Who wouldn’t want to be a Night Elf Mohawk or give a deadly Roundhouse kick (see what I did there?) to the face of an orc Chuck Norris style? Having Aubrey Plaza in the new commercial helps to break the stigma that only dudes are out there doing raids.
The reason why I havent bought in, is that MMOs generally take a certain level of committment that I’m not willing to make yet. I’m not willing to commit that much of my time, whether that’s the time it takes to level up or arranging my schedule to raid with my guild. I’m also not exactly into the fantasy side of WoW with orcs, elves and so forth. With that said, DC Universe Online or SWtOR is what I would pick for an MMO because I love those cultures. Subscription packs are a whole different story with some games being free-to-play.
In the end, these ads are great for bringing attention to WoW and MMOs in general, but knowing what it takes to be successful at theses games is a barrier that might be too great for me to overcome.
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I played Wow for years, and would never go back. Why is she so hot? It makes me think I should be playing!
PS: I just watched Parks and Recreation, and all I could think was how awesome it was that she plays MMO’s…thank you.