Velius said:

Ages ago now it seems, I was married. We were married for seven years, dated for five and a half before that. For all of our dating years and I daresay the vast majority of our married ones, life was beautiful. I loved her more than anything.

While we dated we lived in the same city for about two years. During that time we played Animal Crossing (GCN) together. Almost every single day. We had so much fun playing that together- she loved completing sets, and getting four houses maxed out in a town. We were always chirping to each other about what we got whenever Gulliver washed up on the beach. I got the Spooky Set to outfit my house, and one time I stayed up all night and worked wonders with the clock to get her the entire Christmas set.

There are so many things that happen in a marriage or long-term relationship, so many unique things you can't even describe, articulate, that make it special. That make it truly feel like nobody has ever had what you have. There's so much history that makes it into the lives of the two that it becomes impossible to convey the impact of such a relationship-- and the impact of its dismantling.

The last year I could feel her moving away from me. I didn't understand what was happening, and for whatever reason she couldn't tell me. I tried everything- coaxing, crying, counseling, you name it.

One day I came home from work and she was gone. Just gone. Left a letter saying that she'd met someone and made horrible decisions, and couldn't bear to tell me. So she just left. I never saw her again.

I spent the next year basically just dying over and over. I couldn't eat, I couldn't relax. The experience was so jarring that I contracted an irrational fear that all my friends and family would disappear too. The only thing I could do is play Animal Crossing. I'd go to her town and pick up weeds, make sure everything was kept in order. I sent her letters and put messages up on her billboard saying I loved her. Looking back on it now I guess it seems pretty unhealthy and just weird.

Eventually I moved out of our apartment, far, far away. Completely started over, new setting, new life, new career, everything. I'd like to think that I am healed for the most part but to this day I cannot play that game. Whenever I hear anything that even kind of sounds like the music from Animal Crossing I start to get an anxiety attack.

Damn shame too. Because it's a hell of a game.

Click to expand...

NYCrooner said:

Some really touching stories here. Love this human side of GAF.

My game is actually one I never played. My best friend of 25 years was obsessed with World of Warcraft and it took over his life. He used to plead with me to give it a try but I didn’t like what it was doing to him and I even bought him a PS2 to try and peel him away from his PC.

Long story short, he died of cancer a few years back and just the thought of WoW makes me sad. I wish I humored him at least once and played WoW with him. Chokes me up just writing this. We spoke everyday for 25 years and I still find myself reaching for my phone to text/call him about something. I miss the shit out of him.

Click to expand...

Darhkwing said:

Two games spring to mind.

Zak & Wiki on the Wii. My dad was at deaths door with cancer, we knew it was happening soon. I went and sat in my bedroom and played Zak & Wiki to take my mind of feeling so bad. The nurses called (i think they were at the house, all blurry to be honest) and he passed. I felt bad that i was not sitting with him but i just had to keep my mind busy. So, ever since that day on Jan 10th 2007 i have not played Zak & Wiki again.

Pokemon Go. I got quite into the game when it was released last year. A few mates were playing it as well, including one of my friends Craig. Craig had started playing Pokemon Go as well and i recall him telling me he had driven to places to get Pokemon.

Got a phone call on 12th August 2016 - he had died in a car crash. My heart sank. Had he been playing Pokemon Go whilst driving? Surely not. I felt so guilty. I pretty much had a meltdown because i thought it could be my fault somehow, especially as we had gone collecting pokemon sometimes.

It wasn't 100% at that time but had a gut feeling. He also suffered from epilepsy and sleep issues but he was epilepsy free for 10+ years.

A year later and the inquest said he most likely feel asleep at the wheel (although this was a hot summer day about 4pm) but AFAIK it had nothing to do with his phone.

So yes, when he died i stopped playing Pokemon Go - even now that apparently it wasn't the cause.

Click to expand...