Chinese online gamer dies after three day stint
A 30-year old Chinese man from Guangzhou reportedly died from exhaustion at an internet cafe after a three-day online gaming marathon. Details from the incident are mixed: the Associated Press reports that he was declared dead at the cafe, whereas Reuters claims he was rushed to the hospital after fainting. Neither report mentions what games the man was playing. The Chinese government this year imposed restrictions on the amount of online gaming for minors in the country.
Let this be a reminder to you, dear reader, to get out of your seat and go for a walk every now and then, make yourself something to eat, shower, nap, maybe even do some homework.
[Thanks, Lucas]
Read -- Associated Press (via CNN)
Read -- Reuters (via Yahoo!)











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 17th 2007 2:53PM
That happens when you dont drink Mountain Dew Game Fuel
Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Sep 17th 2007 3:00PM
1up for Fernando
Vegnagun @ Sep 17th 2007 3:02PM
He wasn't playing to maximum fastness.
Neebs @ Sep 17th 2007 3:06PM
He was screaming too hard from losing.
Ska Oreo @ Sep 17th 2007 3:10PM
You deserve that one. 1up for you!
Jerk Face @ Sep 17th 2007 3:14PM
Comedy Gold!
WhatIsThatThing @ Sep 17th 2007 3:42PM
No, that's what happens when you DO drink Mountain Dew Game Fuel.
Asperger Syndrome @ Sep 17th 2007 6:21PM
He was waiting to log into Warhawk.
After 3 days he just killed himself.
jsn @ Sep 17th 2007 2:54PM
not to be crass, but the chinese government probably gassed the joint and this poor guy didn't make it and this is their coverup story. Seriously, you can go days without food and water, how do you die in three days from playing a video game?
Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Sep 17th 2007 3:02PM
He didn't sleep,You can pass 2 weeks without eating anything at all but you can't survive without sleeping.
jsn @ Sep 17th 2007 3:34PM
I won't go into details...but I've done 3 days without sleep.... guys in the military do it all the time. Hell I did 3 day doom and quake benders all the time back in the day getting maybe an hour or two per night. Eventually you just nod off. Something else has to be at play to just up and die from it.
Grant @ Sep 17th 2007 6:52PM
you really think someone who would go 3 days playing a game is in any sort of shape compared to someone who has had military training?
if you train for something you can do extraordinary things. For example i have a friend who has been swimming for many years and can hold their breathe under water for nearly 4 minutes, i on the other hand, even in decent physical shape can only go for barely a minute, and come up gasping for air.
when it all comes down, if your dumb enough to not sleep for 3 days, and probably abuse caffeine or other anti-sleep drugs, you kinda have it coming to you.
I personally stop gaming when i my eyes close briefly and i find myself running square into a wall 2 minutes later. I love my games, but i might love sleep more.
Whsitler @ Sep 17th 2007 9:49PM
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
~
waves @ Sep 17th 2007 2:55PM
Did the earth just get a little lighter? I think we lost another moron.
James @ Sep 17th 2007 3:09PM
No I'm sorry you're still with us.
jtenma @ Sep 17th 2007 3:33PM
COMBO BREAKER!!!!!111
I just had to say it!LMFAO +1 to James!!
PiratePete @ Sep 17th 2007 4:07PM
OUCH!
blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Sep 17th 2007 2:55PM
another asian playing starcraft for 3 days straight and dying, what a surprise
Bigfoot @ Sep 17th 2007 2:59PM
This happened with a Chinese female WoW player too, right? I think she also played 3 days straight.
Truepatriot @ Sep 17th 2007 2:56PM
told you i was hardcore.
Matt B (SDF ) @ Sep 17th 2007 2:57PM
He died after seeing the bill from 3 solid days at the cyber-cafe.
Kazi @ Sep 17th 2007 2:57PM
This guy is my fucking hero. Though I think the average person could last longer.
Vegnagun @ Sep 17th 2007 3:01PM
Read my post below. I went four days.
Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Sep 17th 2007 2:59PM
Deja vu
ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Sep 17th 2007 2:59PM
lol, communism
Gamer Named Tim @ Sep 17th 2007 3:00PM
Well, I don't think it would matter one bit what game he was playing. Play Halo for 3 days, even solitaire. Ya die.
tcc3 @ Sep 17th 2007 5:20PM
"Play Halo for 3 days, even solitaire. Ya die."
I thought that was 7 days.
Before you die, you see the ring
Vegnagun @ Sep 17th 2007 3:00PM
What a failure. Just this past summer I stayed up for four days in a row. The only thing that happened was I began hallucinating. I saw a black cat right in front of me and I don't have a cat.
It ended up not being worth it. I'm still leveling my rogue : /
ThornedVenom @ Sep 18th 2007 1:23AM
ZOMG YOU SAW A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Sep 17th 2007 3:03PM
This guys not hardcore.
Jesus lasted 40 days. And in a desert.
Ska Oreo @ Sep 17th 2007 3:12PM
While having to play only Jake and the 99 Dragon.
samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!) @ Sep 17th 2007 3:05PM
It truly boggles my mind how anyone could possibly sit and play a game that long without sleep.
I can do six or seven hours, tops. And by the end of that, I'm twitching and fidgeting so much I could run 10 miles.
Matt B (SDF ) @ Sep 17th 2007 3:36PM
Same here.
ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Sep 17th 2007 3:43PM
yea man, but freakin 72 hours, you gotta be hardcore addicted, or be paid really good for farming gold
NATO_Duke @ Sep 17th 2007 3:06PM
Man, I dont think I have ever played a game for 3 days without dying. This is probably the greatest achievement in gaming history - he should be given an award.
Oh, wait, maybe I misread.
KiraXD @ Sep 17th 2007 3:13PM
lol Achievement Unlocked!
i wonder if he had a reraiser on him?
mkernan @ Sep 17th 2007 3:11PM
Fortunately, this will never happen to me since I only own a Wii and I could beat all the decent games before taking it this far.
Grant @ Sep 17th 2007 6:52PM
zing!
Jtenma @ Sep 18th 2007 9:51AM
BAM!
Neebs @ Sep 17th 2007 3:11PM
Pfft, that's not how you marathon. Get your own computer, get a cooler. Put a few caffeine drinks (nothing incredibly caffeinated like Monster, maybe a couple Bawls). Get a lot of bottled water. Next, get some snack foods, things that are half-way healthy like pretzels, baked chips, etc. Get some regular meals that you can eat cold, like sandwiches, pizza if you can stand it, hell, I'd go for salad. Get some bread too, be it French from a bakery or just butter bread. That stuff is good.
And for the love of god, go pee and crap, if you need to say you gamed for however long, bring your DS or PSP.
Neebs @ Sep 17th 2007 3:11PM
And RATION YOURSELF. Don't eat all your food and drink all your Bawls the first day.
Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Sep 17th 2007 3:21PM
I'm surprised people does this stuff.I mean you get nothing in exchange,really why the hell would anyone play that long?,maybe in a tournament or something.
The longest I have played was 10 hours of Metal Gear
Ac!d 2 in a continental flight and 11 hours in MtG tournament.
Three Days of Bioshock @ Sep 17th 2007 3:14PM
I just don't get how the Chinese government thinks they can enforce restrictions on individual players, while they let the cafes operate 24/7. Maybe a few hours of mandated closing time could save a life or two.
AyYoDimeloLoco @ Sep 17th 2007 3:15PM
Dude sooo freaking true......so true....
Hollywood Ron @ Sep 17th 2007 3:38PM
The problem is (at least in Japan), a lot of people sleep in those cafes as it's cheaper than renting an apartment.
steve @ Sep 18th 2007 5:54PM
The chinese government believes that it should be the one handinng out Darwin awards
VampireHunter Z @ Sep 17th 2007 3:15PM
Terrible way to go. Not that there are any good ways. Unless it involves some hot babe on top of...ahem...um yeah people need to get out more.
Forsakyn @ Sep 17th 2007 3:18PM
I heard he was playing a new game called Darwin Online.
baby sea tuna @ Sep 17th 2007 3:21PM
And the Darwin Award goes to...
WiNG @ Sep 17th 2007 3:24PM
Okay I'm sorry but what are they gonna say at this guy's funeral?
1. In order for you to convince yourself it is okay to play games 3 days straight without food/water/sleep, you have to be either desperate or insane or both. Pathetic.
2. Where are these peoples' friends and families while this happens? "Hey where's Ling Sho?" "I dunno, I have not seen him for 3 days" "Weird. Wanna rent a movie?"
3. The irresponsibility of the internet cafe owners is staggering. I'm sorry but every cafe should have a 24 hour limit. This is like running a bar and serving someone 50 shots in a row. Reckless.
4. Watch it turns out he was playing Snood, demo version.