Didn't see this posted anywhere else on GB. Chaung, an 18 year old, died after a forty hour Diablo III marathon in an internet cafe in Taiwan.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/07/19/video-game-addiction-underscored-as-teen-dies-after-40-hour-marathon/

It's been a while since I've seen the games addiction topic come up.

...

Dumb.

So..no one asked this guy to move after sitting there two days? 

This always seems to happen at Internet cafes. You'd think they would have limits to how long people can be on.

Not the first time, and certainly wont be the last.

Anyway, you cant get "addicted" per say to video games but you can play them too much. This seems to happen from time to time and then "wo guys, video games are bad" editorials pop up around it.

It's a bunch of nonsense. The one to blame is the one who played video games for 40 hours non stop.

Moral of the story, don't play video games so much you neglect yourself or your responsibilities. Pretty simple concept.

Wait...it said he didn't stop at any point. So was he wearing a diaper?

Not the first time, and certainly wont be the last.

Anyway, you cant get "addicted" per say to video games but you can play them too much. This seems to happen from time to time and then "wo guys, video games are bad" editorials pop up around it.

It's a bunch of nonsense. The one to blame is the one who played video games for 40 hours non stop.

Moral of the story, don't play video games so much you neglect yourself or your responsibilities. Pretty simple concept.

On a side note, what is up with that article? I'm assuming that's a professional news site, but man is the grammar bad in that piece.

I've heard of this happening before. Anyone know with what game it was in the past?

I've heard of this happening before. Anyone know with what game it was in the past?

@The_Laughing_Man: Ya. It's impossible to be literally addicted to video games due to the fact that it poses no chemical changes in the body (which, for instance, you can get from drinking alcohol too much or smoking cigarettes too much and of course illegal substances which are more inherently designed to affect those chemicals reactions).

I wont debate the psychological "addiction", but I would counter that is more of a coping mechanism in your mind than a chemical reaction created by video games and so it's not really an addiction but I can understand why it feels that way.

I'm no expert, but this is based on what little I know of addiction.

Also I have been playing video games for over 20 years and I have found the only reason I would play a game a lot is because the time just flies by. If you got no where to be and nothing to do and really like the game you're playing and it is able to last that long- you may not even realize you were sitting there for 8 hours or whatever. I've done long gaming stretches, but I never neglected eating, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, or taking a hour break or something. I mean I love games but I also know when I need to take a break. It's just common sense given to you directly from your body.

People that do this are just ignoring their body. I don't like to speak ill of the dead but they are truly stupid people.

Video games are bad, m'kay.

Is there anything you can't get addicted to?

@The_Laughing_Man said:

@RadixNegative2 said:

I've heard of this happening before. Anyone know with what game it was in the past?

World of Warcraft.

Yeah, I had to think of that incident too.

@Silvergun: prob translated from a foreign language site.

Also whats up with internet Cafes? is it not like rows of computers on desks? no one working there saw this guy for 40 hours?

'Games don't kill people, people kill people.'

addiction is serious, some people have addictive personalities, it should be up to the internet cafe people to say "hey, time to go home man"

@TheHumanDove said:

Wait...it said he didn't stop at any point. So was he wearing a diaper?

yeah... wtf... blood clots? that means he didn't move! I've done some pretty long ass marathons too ya know... just stop once every 3-4 hours and do some push ups/sit ups... not that hard...

@The_Laughing_Man said:

@RadixNegative2 said:

I've heard of this happening before. Anyone know with what game it was in the past?

World of Warcraft.

There was one for Runescape as well.

I bet he got to Inferno.

tehehe.

I heard Diablo 3 was to die for...

Hardcore.

How did no one working at the cafe notice the same guy at a computer for 49 hrs

I share the sentiment that I am surprised he was allowed to play for that long. Does the store never close or set limits?

Only 40 hours?

I'm pretty sure I've gone longer than that and not...died. Maybe fell asleep but that's about the worst of it.

@CornBREDX said:

@The_Laughing_Man: Ya. It's impossible to be literally addicted to video games due to the fact that it poses no chemical changes in the body (which, for instance, you can get from drinking alcohol too much or smoking cigarettes too much and of course illegal substances which are more inherently designed to affect those chemicals reactions).

I wont debate the psychological "addiction", but I would counter that is more of a coping mechanism in your mind than a chemical reaction created by video games and so it's not really an addiction but I can understand why it feels that way.

I'm no expert, but this is based on what little I know of addiction.

Also I have been playing video games for over 20 years and I have found the only reason I would play a game a lot is because the time just flies by. If you got no where to be and nothing to do and really like the game you're playing and it is able to last that long- you may not even realize you were sitting there for 8 hours or whatever. I've done long gaming stretches, but I never neglected eating, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, or taking a hour break or something. I mean I love games but I also know when I need to take a break. It's just common sense given to you directly from your body.

People that do this are just ignoring their body. I don't like to speak ill of the dead but they are truly stupid people.

Have you ever heard of people addicted to gambling, or to masturbation? Addicted to cutting, or shopping? To working out? Sex?

Everything that happens in your brain is a chemical reaction. When you do a certain activity that you enjoy, your brain releases dopamine, which is basically pleasure. When you do anything you enjoy, there's a chemical reaction going on that tells your body to keep doing it, because it's awesome. Playing Diablo 3 is fucking awesome, and that feeling you get when you pick up an item that's better than yours, or play for "one more drop" or to grind enough gold to upgrade your smiths, that's addiction creeping in. That's your brain begging for more dopamine and urging you to continue playing. Some people become addicted to this chemical reaction in their brain, whether they know it or not, and that becomes the single most important thing in their life, this natural high that comes from doing enjoyable activities. People who do heroin or cocaine chase after a high, as well, but it's a drug-induced high, whereas people who become addicted to non-substance activities go after the high that the activity produces.

It's not that they're dumb, it's that they have a legitimate problem. If you can't understand that, and then go further to insult them for it, you're being close-minded and self-righteous. Before you go and shit all over someone who died because of a disorder that they had, why don't you do some reading on the subject?

I find it hilarious that you can die from gaming for 40 hours non stop but I've been to parties/raves where it's been alcohol and drug fuelled for 2 days straight and I didn't die?

Gaming is worse for your health than taking drugs and drinking. Proven.

@CornBREDX said:

Not the first time, and certainly wont be the last.

Anyway, you cant get "addicted" per say to video games but you can play them too much. This seems to happen from time to time and then "wo guys, video games are bad" editorials pop up around it.

It's a bunch of nonsense. The one to blame is the one who played video games for 40 hours non stop.

Moral of the story, don't play video games so much you neglect yourself or your responsibilities. Pretty simple concept.

I love how " Addiction" is thrown around about video games. Im yet to see anyone go though PHYSICAL withdraw systems from not playing a video game. 

These things seem to only happen in Asia.

@The_Nubster: I have, thanks. But I already knew someone would look for reasons to argue and be offended- that's what people do. That is the last I'm saying on this subject.

@The_Nubster said:

@CornBREDX said:

@The_Laughing_Man: Ya. It's impossible to be literally addicted to video games due to the fact that it poses no chemical changes in the body (which, for instance, you can get from drinking alcohol too much or smoking cigarettes too much and of course illegal substances which are more inherently designed to affect those chemicals reactions).

I wont debate the psychological "addiction", but I would counter that is more of a coping mechanism in your mind than a chemical reaction created by video games and so it's not really an addiction but I can understand why it feels that way.

I'm no expert, but this is based on what little I know of addiction.

Also I have been playing video games for over 20 years and I have found the only reason I would play a game a lot is because the time just flies by. If you got no where to be and nothing to do and really like the game you're playing and it is able to last that long- you may not even realize you were sitting there for 8 hours or whatever. I've done long gaming stretches, but I never neglected eating, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, or taking a hour break or something. I mean I love games but I also know when I need to take a break. It's just common sense given to you directly from your body.

People that do this are just ignoring their body. I don't like to speak ill of the dead but they are truly stupid people.

Have you ever heard of people addicted to gambling, or to masturbation? Addicted to cutting, or shopping? To working out? Sex?

Everything that happens in your brain is a chemical reaction. When you do a certain activity that you enjoy, your brain releases dopamine, which is basically pleasure. When you do anything you enjoy, there's a chemical reaction going on that tells your body to keep doing it, because it's awesome. Playing Diablo 3 is fucking awesome, and that feeling you get when you pick up an item that's better than yours, or play for "one more drop" or to grind enough gold to upgrade your smiths, that's addiction creeping in. That's your brain begging for more dopamine and urging you to continue playing. Some people become addicted to this chemical reaction in their brain, whether they know it or not, and that becomes the single most important thing in their life, this natural high that comes from doing enjoyable activities. People who do heroin or cocaine chase after a high, as well, but it's a drug-induced high, whereas people who become addicted to non-substance activities go after the high that the activity produces.

It's not that they're dumb, it's that they have a legitimate problem. If you can't understand that, and then go further to insult them for it, you're being close-minded and self-righteous. Before you go and shit all over someone who died because of a disorder that they had, why don't you do some reading on the subject?

Thank you for elaborating on the subject. My doctor brings up the effects of dopamine pretty much every time I see her, it's usually related to my own mental disorders. I seem to always forget what she's told me though, That's another disorder I have.. the memory center of my brain is completely fucked up. ANYWAYS! I fail to see why some people are saying things like "Hurr durr you can't get addicted to video games etc etc. Because it's not actually a drug / doesn't get you high or affect your body in any way" when it does.. for the reasons you've stated.

If you die from playing too much games then maybe you deserve it

@SmilingPig said:

These things seem to only happen in Asia.

The article mentions a westerner also having this happen. People can't be inactive for that long. I know a lot of people here think this is ridiculous, but i know more than one person who have done an absurd marathon session. I've done it myself without realizing it.

@CornBREDX said:

@The_Laughing_Man: Ya. It's impossible to be literally addicted to video games due to the fact that it poses no chemical changes in the body (which, for instance, you can get from drinking alcohol too much or smoking cigarettes too much and of course illegal substances which are more inherently designed to affect those chemicals reactions).

I wont debate the psychological "addiction", but I would counter that is more of a coping mechanism in your mind than a chemical reaction created by video games and so it's not really an addiction but I can understand why it feels that way.

I'm no expert, but this is based on what little I know of addiction.

Also I have been playing video games for over 20 years and I have found the only reason I would play a game a lot is because the time just flies by. If you got no where to be and nothing to do and really like the game you're playing and it is able to last that long- you may not even realize you were sitting there for 8 hours or whatever. I've done long gaming stretches, but I never neglected eating, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, or taking a hour break or something. I mean I love games but I also know when I need to take a break. It's just common sense given to you directly from your body.

People that do this are just ignoring their body. I don't like to speak ill of the dead but they are truly stupid people.

there actually are chemical changes that take place when we game. finding that super-rare loot drop or seeing an achievement pop up both release a surge of dopamine in the brain. this is the same neurotransmitter that drugs like cocaine directly stimulate, and the chemical that allows us to feel reward and pleasure, as well as being the main culprit behind addictive behaviour. so, yeah.. video games can be addictive. as can many, many things.

Blizzard have a bad track record with people dying while playing their games. Obviously not their fault, but man, this is fucked up. Not even sure what to make of this.

I'm no expert

@Demoskinos@The_Laughing_Man@The_Nubster Common misconception. Addiction is all mental, you cannot become chemically addicted to something. Your body can come to depend on it for certain chemicals, but this is called dependency, and while it reinforces addiction it is distinct and separate from it. So just because you do not go through withdrawal symptoms does not mean that you are any less addicted then someone who is sick for days because they're no longer taking their substance of choice.

I always find these news articles pretty silly and annoying how much they crave attention/views by blaming games.

The article even mentions blood clots, but it's a fucking sentence long. The most likely reason for his death and it's a fucking sentence. Yet they have 4 sentences referring to games and none to any other causes of deep vein thrombosis. You know like surgery, travel and, well anything where you're immobile for long periods at a time.

DVT has killed tens of thousands of people, including healthy young athletes.

Also what happens if you die playing a game boy on a long haul flight? Are you a video game addict and join the elite single figures of people who have died while taking a hit on the crack pipe known as gaming, or did you die like the other thousands of people who got an unlucky clot which turned out to be fatal?

I hate to be callous but 40 hours hardly sounds long enough to kill somebody. I'm going to guess he had been having several marathon sessions before that and was already in a weakened state. That's a element the story probably overlooked.

Still sad no matter how you cut it. Diablo 3 is certainly not worth dieing for.

Say guys, does the US have places where I can play new PC games for 40 hours?

@The_Laughing_Man said:

So..no one asked this guy to move after sitting there two days?

Nope. Just like any other normal cafe that closes their stores but leaves some guy there to continue playing Daiblo for some reason.

You know how cafe's are.

@Silvergun said:

On a side note, what is up with that article? I'm assuming that's a professional news site, but man is the grammar bad in that piece.

@CornBREDX said:

Anyway, you cant get "addicted" per say to video games but you can play them too much

Just like gambling addictions are just a made up thing amirite?

Eh I've done longer than that once, I was hydrated though and frequent trips to the refrigerator.

Hardly see how the game is relevant, sounds like he had some underlying health issues that were a ticking timebomb.

@Questionable: Gambling addiction comes more from the adrenaline of being able to win/lose a lot of money, not the actual game. There are serious things at stake there, which is obviously not the case with videogames. I won't bother to argue whether or not videogames can be addictive or not, I'm sure they probably can, but if they are, it's to a much smaller degree.

I find this difficult to comprehend anyway. I get bored/tired after a couple of hours at most and have to go and do something else. Videogames have enough warnings about how it's important to take breaks these days too. If anything, maybe internet cafe's should be forced to have limits on how long people can stay. I'm sure the dude would have just gone to a different cafe after his time ran out, but at least that would have been some exercise.

Diablo 3 is not good enough to warrant 40 hours if play time.

@egg said:

Say guys, does the US have places where I can play new PC games for 40 hours?

Your home.

I can't even get myself to play most new games for 40 hours over a period of a month, but to put 40 hours into something in one sitting? Wow.

Also, marathon gaming sessions can be fun and interesting up to a point but after that point - the one where personal responsibility kicks in - it's time to get up.