Steve Pregg, a visual effects artist credited for movies from “I, Robot” and “The Lord of the Rings,” won an Oscar Monday night for his work as animation supervisor on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

Something less expected – Pregg apparently leads a “World of Warcraft” guild.

According to the Web site “World of Warcraft Insider,” Pregg and his guild have participated in most of the game’s missions and events. For those familiar with the terminology, “World of Warcraft Insider” reported that his character is a Combat Rogue with 450 Enchanting and Inscription.

“World of Warcraft,” a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game with 11.5 million monthly subscribers, has earned a reputation for addicting gamers to a virtual sense of leadership and power. As evidenced by Web sites like WoW Detox, the consequence of such addiction typically involves losing one’s personal and professional life.

For every rule, there’s an exception, which the award-winning Pregg makes clear. How he finds enough time to work on blockbuster films and conquer fictional lands is anyone’s guess, but he certainly proves that people can balance their real and virtual selves to a notable effect.