A 12-year-old schoolboy from Russias Urals city of Yekaterinburg has died of playing computer games. After spending 12 hours at a local computer club, the boy fainted and was taken to hospital, where he died of stroke eight days later, the Novye Izvestia daily reported on Tuesday.

Local doctors are sure that the boy was killed by his obsession with the virtual reality. As the classes in school ended in May he started visiting a local computer club every day, spending 10 or 12 hours there and returned home only for having meals and sleep. His parents did not forbid him to play computer, thinking that their son can himself choose how to rest in summer.

The medical details are a bit hazy in the source article. Maybe there's some translation issues, or maybe it's just a reporter milking a tragic story.

Alexei Sulimov, senior doctor of the local childrens hospital said he and his colleagues were shocked by the death. They believe that the addiction to computer games did not let the boy to stop shooting at the virtual monsters even when he felt bad. He was dying but could not tear himself from the game, he said. And strongest emotional tension resulted in the congestion of brain blood vessels, the doctor concluded.

A medical commission will see if gaming could have killed the boy.

whitepuma

Australia

March 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:09 PM

make me feel lucky as i was this kid a few years ago but i only past our, the differece was mine was three days straight no sleep food or fluids all i did was game or work until i passed out as my blood pressure dropped to low

TBSheets

I'm lost

December 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:10 PM

must.play.that.game.

I think it was that 14" monitor that killed him.

OnlyOblivion

Youngstown, OH

August 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:21 PM

I just hope he can find his corpse. Having to rez at the spirit healer is expensive.

Dan76

Seattle, WA

February 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:25 PM

He died four days later from a stroke? Can you say, "medical malpractice cover up?"

plankton

I'm lost

December 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:29 PM

OnlyOblivion said:
I just hope he can find his corpse. Having to rez at the spirit healer is expensive.

yeah, and the poor fucker probably lost half his items.

OnlyOblivion

Youngstown, OH

August 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:29 PM

FuzzyDice said:
He died four days later from a stroke? Can you say, "medical malpractice cover up?"

Ha! Quick! Before the coroner gets to him, slip this Marilyn Manson CD into his cold, dead hand! Our defense will be airtight!

black_tar_heroin

I'm lost

January 2003

JUN 21, 2005 02:57 PM

what a retarded way to die

Sesshomaru

Keene, NH

January 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:58 PM

should of put in the up, down, left, right, A, B, B, A, select, start, code

Devika

SUICIDEGIRL

Canada

JUN 21, 2005 04:20 PM

that's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Brinstar

Chicago, IL

September 2002

JUN 21, 2005 04:23 PM

Well, I'm pretty sure my uncle will die from Everquest. No joke. After his horrible divorce and all that he pretty much just retired to my grandmother's basement and plays probably... well... let's just say his entire waking life is Everquest now. No joke. And his health is suffering severely from it, he has put on a ton of weight, having all kinds of health problems.

Yeah. I'm not sure doctors will list it as "Everquest" on the papers but that is what it will be...

Herakles

Canada

October 2004

JUN 21, 2005 05:33 PM

Sesshomaru said:
should of put in the up, down, left, right, A, B, B, A, select, start, code

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, select start

Ah, the old Konami Code. Could have scored him an extra 30 lives.

Brinstar

Chicago, IL

September 2002

JUN 21, 2005 05:34 PM

up up down down left right left right B A (select for multi) start

Get it right kids.

YUSHi

United Kingdom

May 2004

JUN 22, 2005 06:09 PM

Some comments regarding this article from Eurogamer.net

What was he playing? Was it by EA? :-)

The quack blamed "sustained emotional stimulation". I think we can rule out EA.

Perhaps he just levelled up.

Well he certainly wasn't hardcore.

Don't let the Daily Mail see this, they'll have a field day.

Seriously though, if the kid went to school and learned to read he would find that in the manual it mentions taking a break every hour for 15 minutes for this very reason.

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

United Kingdom

June 2004

JUN 21, 2005 09:12 AM

Australia

March 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:09 PM

I'm lost

December 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:10 PM

Youngstown, OH

August 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:21 PM

Dan76

Seattle, WA

February 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:25 PM

I'm lost

December 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:29 PM

Youngstown, OH

August 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:29 PM

I'm lost

January 2003

JUN 21, 2005 02:57 PM

Keene, NH

January 2004

JUN 21, 2005 02:58 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

Canada

JUN 21, 2005 04:20 PM

Brinstar

Chicago, IL

September 2002

JUN 21, 2005 04:23 PM

Canada

October 2004

JUN 21, 2005 05:33 PM

Brinstar

Chicago, IL

September 2002

JUN 21, 2005 05:34 PM

United Kingdom

May 2004

JUN 22, 2005 06:09 PM