In his novel Beyond the Throne: Epic Journeys, Enduring Friendships, and Surprising Tales, Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn attributed World of Warcraft to helping him detox and kick his drug addiction.
The Hodor actor revealed in his autobiography that he fell in love with a person who had a drug addiction, which, in turn, led to him abusing narcotics. But after a nearly fatal experience, the actor headed to a bungalow at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Ireland, where he detoxed from drugs while playing World of Warcraft “from dawn till dusk.”
In an interview with Polygon, Nairn spoke further about how WoW changed his life and became a different type of addiction for him. As a collector and a completionist, he’s one of those gamers who enjoy horizontal content and will do anything to get all the mounts and transmogs. However, the characters and the stories genuinely drew him into WoW and are one of the reasons he still loves this game.
Nairn admitted that the Wrathgrate cinematic from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, which was an emotional cutscene, was the moment it hit him that he loved WoW and was invested in the story and the characters. And he’s not alone in this because WotLK is one of the best WoW expansions. Even at Dot Esports, we rated this expansion as our No. 1 because the content, lore, raids, and storyline were phenomenal.
Although revealing these details about his past must have been challenging, fans have supported, praised, and empathized with the Game of Thrones star. Many said that, like Nairn, WoW helped them with their addictive behaviors and was a place for players to escape from their harsh lives.
While his journey was undoubtedly tumultuous and rocky, the actor believes he’s now in a healthier place and that playing WoW, particularly with his friends, helps with his loneliness.
It just goes to show that gaming and this community can be positive and supportive.
