Diablo III Player Dies After 40 Hour Session

Sad news coming out of Taiwan today, as a teenager has died after playing Diablo III for 40 hours straight without any food. 18-year-old Chuang booked a private room at an internet cafe on Friday, July 13 and played Diablo III all the way through until Sunday, July 15, when he was discovered slumped over his desk by an internet cafe employee. Initially, Chuang appeared to be fine – only tired – but after getting up and walking a few steps, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away.

Hours-long gaming marathons are nothing new to players (we're all guilty of them after all), but lately we've been hearing more and more about these extremely long gaming sessions that end with the player dying. The actual cause of death isn't known, but authorities are guessing that remaining in a sitting position for so many hours straight might have caused some cardiovascular problems. It's also possible that Chuang suffered from some unknown medical condition, which could have been aggravated by his 40 hour long gaming binge. The truth is, we won't know what killed Chuang until the autopsy – which is underway now – has been completed.

Diablo III developer Blizzard issued a statement earlier today, sending out its thoughts to Chuang's family and urging players to exercise moderation while enjoying their favorite games. "While we recognise that it's ultimately up to each individual or their parent or guardian to determine playing habits," Blizzard says, "we feel that moderation is clearly important, and that a person's day-to-day life should take precedence over any form of entertainment."

[via The Australian]