James McAvoy burned his copy of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion because he was addicted

We've all had video games we can't put down. Those caught in the throes of WoW addiction have felt that pain for the past 17 years. For actor James McAvoy, there was once such a game that, once turned on, could never be turned off. That game was The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

James McAvoy was addicted to Oblivion

In an interview with Forbes, James McAvoy discussed his history with video games to promote his role in Twelve Minutes. As it turns out, McAvoy has a storied past with the world of video games. In particular, he has a storied history with a fan-favourite RPG.

"That was a kind of game I'd always been into as a kid", McAvoy explained. “Role-playing games, Zelda, Secret of Mana, all that kind of stuff. Like, I love fantasy role-playing games."

Back when the actor was starring in period drama Becoming Jane, McAvoy’s gaming habits became unhealthy. Instead of sleeping, he’d be playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Face it, we've all been there.

McAvoy said:

"I'm, like, having to go to bed at 10pm, because I'm getting up at 6am every morning," McAvoy explained, "and I've got tons of lines, and all that kind of stuff. And I'm just staying up until four in the morning just playing Oblivion."

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How did he kill this addiction?

McAvoy's Oblivion addiction was obviously having a negative impact on his life. So the actor turned to the one thing that should destroy any evil: fire. Instead of trying not to play the video game, he burnt it on the gas hob and watched to make sure it was dead.

“I just put the disc on it and just watched it sort of, like, singe and melt a little bit. And I was like, 'Right, we're done, we're over, never again!'"

Despite his negative experience in the past, James McAvoy is still playing some video games. While he, thankfully, hasn't yet become aware of Skyrim, he does enjoy casual sessions of Call of Duty: Warzone.

“During the pandemic, me and my boys, we're all 40-something dudes with gray hair, bald spots, and all sorts of shit. We now talk every two or three nights, playing Warzone and we talk about life, love, everything while getting absolutely annihilated by 12-year-old children from other countries."

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