Taiwanese Teen Dies Following Diablo III Binge

[The Wooster]

Taiwanese Teen Dies Following Diablo III Binge

An 18-year-old Taiwanese teenager has died after playing Diablo III for 40-hours.

If reports from the local media are to be believed, an 18-year-old male identified only by his surname, Chuang, died after spending nearly two days playing Diablo III in a private room of an internet cafe in Tainan, southern Taiwan. He entered the room at around noon on July 13th. He then spent the next 40 hours gaming. Eventually, an attendant found him asleep on a table on the morning of July 15th. When the attendant woke him, the teen stood, took a few steps, then collapsed.

He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

The police are currently investigating the cause of death, and an autopsy is to be carried out. They speculate that numerous hours spent hunched over the keyboard created cardiovascular problems which, when combined with fatigue, proved too much for the young gamer.

Tales of death and misery following insane gaming binges seem to be becoming increasingly common in Asian territories. Assuming Chuang's gaming marathon did directly contribute to his death, this will be the second such case in Taiwan this year. Back in February, a man in New Taipei was found dead of cardiac arrest following a 23-hour gaming session.

Source: The United Daily via The Australian [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/taiwan-teen-dies-after-gaming-for-40-hours/story-fn3dxix6-1226428437223]

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[Agow95]

How often does this happen in the western countries? I just find it amazing how much more seriously gaming is taken in Asia.

 

[CharrHearted]

Can he still go back and collect his loot?

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Can he still go back and collect his loot?

He was probably playing Hardcore mode, so probably not.

OT: It's a little alarming that he was playing in a public space and no one seemed to notice him there in that span of time. You would think that internet cafes would have messures or something to keep this sort of thing from happening since that's wher ethey seem to take place.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Seriously of all the games to died from, Diablo 3 is not one of them. Ok any deaths from gaming too much are bad but Diablo 3 isn't a good games to worth spending that many hours on! In another word he wasted his life over that game.

Also I didn't know Taiwan got the game since I thought that game isn't available in Asia?

 

[Rainforce]

Also I didn't know Taiwan got the game since I thought that game isn't available in Asia?

how would that make any sense, you cannot even imagine the amount of potential sales you lose if you not go for the asian market as well.

OT:
well...I hope it was worth it for him. probably wasn't, but still.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Also I didn't know Taiwan got the game since I thought that game isn't available in Asia?

how would that make any sense, you cannot even imagine the amount of potential sales you lose if you not go for the asian market as well.

OT:
well...I hope it was worth it for him. probably wasn't, but still.

Well I don't know (yes it make sense in hindsight). I just remember that news about some people in Asia (I think it was in China) fall for a scam for buying the game online from this site claiming it was in partnership with Blizzard.

 

[greenice]

Can he still go back and collect his loot?

He was probably playing Hardcore mode, so probably not.

OT: It's a little alarming that he was playing in a public space and no one seemed to notice him there in that span of time. You would think that internet cafes would have messures or something to keep this sort of thing from happening since that's wher ethey seem to take place.

He was playing in a private room.

OT:It's very weird how this always happens in Asian countries.I wonder if there's any research on the matter, there must be some reason for this.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Can he still go back and collect his loot?

He was probably playing Hardcore mode, so probably not.

OT: It's a little alarming that he was playing in a public space and no one seemed to notice him there in that span of time. You would think that internet cafes would have messures or something to keep this sort of thing from happening since that's wher ethey seem to take place.

He was playing in a private room.

OT:It's very weird how this always happens in Asian countries.I wonder if there's any research on the matter, there must be some reason for this.

Yeah I know that, but just because it's private doesn't mean that the staff can't make sure that he's still in there and okay if it's such a problem over there.

 

[Twilight_guy]

It just goes to show that doing something for that long is not good for your health. Especially when it involves sitting because that can cause blood clots. Everybody get up and do a few jumping jacks!

 

[lancar]

Obviously, the best way for the Asian governments to respond to this is to ban this sick filth called videogaming, and sentencing people to at least 5 years in prison if they dont obey.

 

[Firia]

I know it's cold to say so, but Darwin wins again.

I know there's an allure to games. I know I've spent some time devoting unhealthy levels of time into a game I really enjoyed. But I also know how to listen to my own body. Diablo will still be there for me tomorrow, if I choose.

Now, I know Gold Farming is an issue (in general) in asia, and I wonder if that has anything to do with matters.

 

[HamsterPants]

There are too many people in Eastern Asian countries dying from playing video games too much... How does a person get so absorbed into something that they don't notice when their bodies cease to FUNCTION PROPERLY?
"Oh hey, I'm starting to pass out and feel like I'm dying. I better try to finish a few more dungeons before I kick the bucket."

wtfman.jpg

Whoever it was that died, they must have had a miserable existence.

 

[Lunar Templar]

How often does this happen in the western countries?

i would actually like an answer to this. cause it doesn't seem to happen in the west

and, whats probably worse. i don't feel bad for him, like, at all, but this is why Asian MMOs have in game play limiters, that get yanked out or, made useless with the state side release

 

[shadowstriker86]

i think the cause of death was that one syndrome (cant remember the name) where if you sit down for too long, your blood cant circulate and blah blah blah

 

[Shjade]

How often does this happen in the western countries?

i would actually like an answer to this. cause it doesn't seem to happen in the west

I don't think "the west" has the same kind of setups to enable it much of the time. Playing at home, parents check up on their kids (one would hope, at least), and I don't think we have the equivalent of net cafes with private gaming spaces sealed off from all human contact...do we?

Though it could be simpler: we ***** about games too much to get absorbed in them. I mean come on, this is Diablo 3 we're talking about here. A westerner would've hit a lag spike at some point in those 40 hours, thrown the table over and raged about it, and voila, he's taking a circulation-encouraging break.

 

[Pyrian]

My suspicion is that one or more dangerous stimulants were involved (and I don't mean caffeine, which isn't all that dangerous).

 

[Lunar Templar]

How often does this happen in the western countries?

i would actually like an answer to this. cause it doesn't seem to happen in the west

I don't think "the west" has the same kind of setups to enable it much of the time. Playing at home, parents check up on their kids (one would hope, at least), and I don't think we have the equivalent of net cafes with private gaming spaces sealed off from all human contact...do we?

Though it could be simpler: we ***** about games too much to get absorbed in them. I mean come on, this is Diablo 3 we're talking about here. A westerner would've hit a lag spike at some point in those 40 hours, thrown the table over and raged about it, and voila, he's taking a circulation-encouraging break.

>.> you know, you make a vary good point there.

 

[Goofguy]

I'm amazed anyone would want to play Diablo 3 for 40 hours total let alone straight. Once you get halfway through Nightmare difficulty, it starts to suck and that's only like 25-30 hours in.