South Korean dies after games session

[doe-sun]

From here (http://news.com.com/Man+dies+after+50+hours+of+computer+games/2100-1043_3-5825957.html)

A South Korean man who played computer games for 50 hours almost non-stop died of heart failure minutes after finishing his mammoth session in an Internet cafe, authorities said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old man, identified only by his family name Lee, had been playing online battle simulation games at the cybercafe in the southeastern city of Taegu, police said.

Lee had planted himself in front of a computer monitor to play online games on August 3. He only left the spot over the next three days to go to the toilet and take brief naps on a makeshift bed, they said.

"We presume the cause of death was heart failure stemming from exhaustion," a Taegu provincial police official said by telephone.

Lee had recently quit his job to spend more time playing games, the daily JoongAng Ilbo reported after interviewing former work colleagues and staff at the Internet cafe.

After he failed to return home, Lee's mother asked his former colleagues to find him. When they reached the cafe, Lee said he would finish the game and then go home, the paper reported.

He died a few minutes later, it said.

South Korea, one of the most wired countries in the world, has a large and highly developed game industry.

===========
Well, I guess that settles the debate about whether video games are addictive or not. RIP, dude.

[SunWuKong]

i don't know which is worse. this, or the guy in China that killed his friend for selling his virtual sword.

[LaiSteve66]

A fifty hour gaming stretch? That's crazy, but I never would of thought someone could die from it.

[deez nuts]

was he farming for in game dollars to sell for real dollars?

[Banana]

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. Sorry.

[I'm a Robot]

If this happened in the US, some politician would have leapt all over this, accusing online games of being too violent/sexy/addictive/expensive/Satanic.

Anyway, this guy clearly had issues in his life. Now he doesn't, I guess.

[yoMAMA]

Jesus.

:(

[RiceWine]

Hm...I know most younger generations know this, but this might be evidence for addictive behavior.


It is distrubing that this could be a really problem, if not epidemic within Asians.

[I'm a Robot]

Hm...I know most younger generations know this, but this might be evidence for addictive behavior.


It is distrubing that this could be a really problem, if not epidemic within Asians.

Well, it could be argued that the whole point of games (especially subscription-based games, like World of Warcraft) is to cause a state of mild addiction that keeps you playing for as long as possible. The more you play, the more you pay. So a game has to be fun enough to engage you over a long period of time.

South Korea has a VERY strong gaming element in its society. It's not too surprising, then, that a handful of unfortunate victims on the edges of society would make it more than a way of life. I wouldn't call it an epidemic, though, and certainly not some kind of problem exclusive to Asians.

[pikachupacabra]

He wasn't farming items because he was playing starcraft apparently.


At first I was like "50 hours? Hah. Weak." And then I didn't read anything about him eating or drinking in the article and I was like "whoa". I can hardly go 10 minutes without picking something (hopefully clean and tasty) up and munching on it.

[digitaholic83]

Go to www.shortnews.com

Go to the recreational section about the korean guy. Scroll down and read the comment by meltman.

He thinks all koreans play like this...dumbass.

[Martino]

Gods ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4137782.stm

A South Korean man has died after reportedly playing an online computer game for 50 hours with few breaks.
The 28-year-old man collapsed after playing the game Starcraft at an internet cafe in the city of Taegu, according to South Korean authorities.

The man had not slept properly, and had eaten very little during his marathon session, said police.

Multi-player gaming in South Korea is extremely popular thanks to its fast and widespread broadband network.

Games are televised and professional players are treated, as well as paid, like sports stars.

Professional gamers there attract huge sums in sponsorship and can make more than $100,000 a year.

The man, identified by his family name, Lee, started playing Starcraft on 3 August. He only paused playing to go to the toilet and for short periods of sleep, said the police.

"We presume the cause of death was heart failure stemming from exhaustion," a Taegu provincial police official told the Reuters news agency.

He was taken to hospital following his collapse, but died shortly after, according to the police. It is not known whether he suffered from any previous health conditions.

They added that he had recently been fired from his job because he kept missing work to play computer games.

Online computer games are some of the most popular and largest growth areas in interactive entertainment.

Players can easily get immersed and feel compelled to play for hours at a stretch, particuarly in massively multiplayer online role playing games - MMORPGs - in which thousands of gamers play and interact in shared fantasy or science fiction worlds.

Reports of gamers spending 10 to 15 hours a day in front of video games, such as the highly popular World of Warcraft and EverQuest, are becoming more frequent. Experts say gamers should take regular screen breaks.

Psychologist Professor Mark Griffiths, author of several in-depth studies into online gaming and gambling addiction, told the BBC News website that, according to his research, playing excessively was not problematic in any shape or form for the majority of gamers.

He said: "It does seem to be the case that online gaming addiction for a small minority is a real phenomenon and people suffer the same symptoms as traditional addictions.

In one detailed survey of 540 gamers, Professor Griffith and his team found that there were four playing more than 80 hours a week, which is considered "excessive".

He explained many people liked to play MMORPGs for long periods of time because of the social aspect of the games.

"They are the types of games that completely engross the player. They are not games that you can play for 20 minutes and stop.

"If you are going to take it seriously, you have to spend time doing it," he said.

But he warned there was a difference between "healthy enthusiasm" and "unhealthy addiction." People who sacrificed jobs, partners and loved ones were considered "extreme players".

Unlike help for traditional addictions, such as gambling, there is very little help for computer game addiction, he said.

"It is not taken seriously yet - it is the same for internet addiction," he said.

He advised anyone worried about gaming addictions should contact their local GP and get referred to a psychologist.

More than 15 million people, or 30% of the population, are registered for online gaming in South Korea. The country also host the annual World Cyber Games.

[I'm a Robot]

This was posted on Tuesday in the Current Events section.

[TB4000]

What I want to know is...how many units did he have?

[ahsingjai]

i don't know which is worse. this, or the guy in China that killed his friend for selling his virtual sword.

Or Korean Cyber Gangs that would kill you if you in real life if you mess with them in a MMORPG.

[SunWuKong]

At first I was like "50 hours? Hah. Weak." And then I didn't read anything about him eating or drinking in the article and I was like "whoa". I can hardly go 10 minutes without picking something (hopefully clean and tasty) up and munching on it.

nevermind eating and drinking. i'd start to fall asleep between 18 to 24 hours of continuously playing.

[applehead]

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. Sorry.

me too.
i don't find stories like this sad anymore.

[Martino]

There have been a few more fatalities due to players dying of exhaustion. Last month, a Chinese player called Thereafter died, just days after an unnamed Chinese girl, known on-line as 'Snowly', was given an on-line burial:

http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2145633/world-warcraft-gamers-stage

Players of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft have held a virtual funeral service for a girl who died after a multi-day gaming binge.

The Chinese girl, by the name of 'Snowly', died in October after playing the game for several days without rest during a week-long Chinese national holiday.

Several hundred fellow gamers directed their online characters to a cathedral in the game where the service was held, Chinese website CRI online reported.

'Snowly' was a very active member in her MMORPG community and had logged one of the highest attendance rates. During the virtual service members of the community spoke in her remembrance.

The death of the girl is one of several cases this year after excessive game playing. While such deaths are not new the Chinese government is now seeking to instate a gaming curfew, limiting sessions to three hours at a time. The rule is scheduled to take effect next year.

A group of seven Chinese games manufacturers is voluntarily instating time limits and will start a trial in late October.

World of Warcraft is one of the most successful MMORPGs. The game takes place in a fantasy universe where the more than 3.5 million players take part. Gamers are charged a subscription fee of $14.99 a month.

[deez nuts]

the chinese farmers formed a clan on the server my brother plays on called cat bear. they're funny as hell with their pingyin mandarin and broken english.

the chinese farmers are working so hard. they working long time.

[Banana]

They're everywhere, dude.

If you go on eBay and do a search for "World of Warcraft gold," you'll get hundreds of replies on all servers on both factions.

[robotic]

r.i.p.<3

it is possible to die from excessive gaming... due to
strain on eyes, lack of sleep... ?
could there have been several of these reasons leading to a heart failure?

[Craig]

Damn, some people need to get their priorities in life straightened out ... I used to do the long sessions of former versions of Civilization, etc., but I still need to do other things in life like work, school, relationships, etc. ...

[Chad]

Well, even though these cases are extremes and exceptional, it is evident that gaming addiction is a problem. Malaysia has just set a gaming curfew at midnight. The cybercafes for gamers are being forced to shut down at that time.
Who knows.. maybe when the bouncers throw everybody out of the cafes at midnight and a bunch of bloodshot-eye, pale-faced gamers accidently make eye contact with each other while standing on the pavement, something resembling a real-life friendship could occur. Or maybe I'm being too optimistic.

[Arex]

Hey, at least these people died doing something (virtually) productive with their lives when they died.

While in the physical world they were merely computer geeks with gaming addictions, in the virtual worlds they were heroes. When reality sucks and you're never going to amount to anything anyways, might as well go make something of yourself in the virtual world, right?

rX

[Leinad]

Or Korean Cyber Gangs that would kill you if you in real life if you mess with them in a MMORPG.

lol wtf's aa mmorpg.. and gangs... that's just hard-core

... and this new's is old.. there was another one like this in s.Korea too.

man that dude'sjust wasted his life aye... wat an idiot

[Shogun Empress]

Go to www.shortnews.com

Go to the recreational section about the korean guy. Scroll down and read the comment by meltman.

He thinks all koreans play like this...dumbass.
I need a better link. The only thing I found on that site was death by natural selection.

11/10/2005 04:43 PM ID: 51183

14-Month-Old Killed by Grandmother's Lift Chair

14-month old Frederick Kincaid-Panfil died yesterday at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh after being in critical condition since October 29th.
He suffered injuries after becoming pinned under his grandmother’s motorized chair designed to help elderly people get to their feet.
It is believed that he crawled under the chair and was playing with the remote at the time of the accident.