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SAN FRANCISCO — Despite the fact that he and his old roommates are now distant from their college years and the period when they enjoyed playing the game, friends of Nathan Wilkerson were disturbed to discover that he just kept on playing League of Legends. 

“I feel bad about the whole thing, but I guess I’m not surprised,” said Travis Hardman, who shared a dorm room and played the Massive Online Battle Arena game with Nathan back in 2011. “We all decided years ago that game was total dogshit. Nate texted me a few years back asking if I wanted to climb ranked queue and I was like, ‘What? I haven’t played that game in half a decade.’ Hell, I haven’t even talked to Nathan in four years. He RSVPed ‘maybe’ to my wedding and then didn’t show up. I dunno… at least check out Dota 2.”

Hardman received a text back from Wilkerson saying, “Thought it would be funny, haha.”

According to those close to Wilkerson, an overwhelming majority of the freshman dorm-mates who played League with Nathan years ago have moved on to other games and facets of life.

Drew Starr, who dormed across the hall from Wilkerson, said he logged on to League a few weeks ago to reminisce, and noticed that Wilkerson was logged in and playing a match. “It was like seven years hadn’t passed and he still somehow found enjoyment in last-hitting mobs, being raged at by teenagers, and losing because someone AFK-ed at fountain — I just figured he had moved on to something better. This is coming from someone who plays Hearthstone.”

Wilkerson’s girlfriend Sarah Kirk was surprised to learn that none of Wilkerson’s friends played anymore.

“I mean, I thought he was at least getting social interaction from this — something positive, you know?” said Kirk. “Instead, he’s just sitting alone in his room all day trying to ‘rank up.’ It’s kind of unsettling watching him desperately search for some nebulous self esteem from a game that ultimately leaves him sulking around the apartment, pissed off and sleep-deprived.”

“Plus, he mains Irelia and hasn’t stopped talking about the nerfs from 2013,” Kirk added. “It’s getting really bad.”

When asked for comment about his choice to continue playing the game, Wilkerson said “Yeah, this game fucking sucks,” and pushed his headset back on.

Check out the newest episode of the Hard Drive podcast where we watch and discuss every episode of 1989’s The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!