A man was found dead at an Internet cafe in New Taipei City after a five-day-straight marathon of computer gaming in the latest case of video game-related death in the nation.
The incident was reported from an Internet cafe in New Taipei City’s Yingge District (鶯歌), when a 38-year-old man surnamed Chu (朱) was found dead in the establishment’s bathroom on Thursday afternoon.
According to the manager of the Internet cafe, Chu entered the establishment on Saturday and played video games for five days straight.
Photo by Yu Heng, Taipei Times
Chu ordered instant noodles and drinks to consume while at the computer table, but otherwise mostly stayed planted in his seat to eat and drink, with the odd sleeping session interspersed throughout the five days, the manager said.
“Except for going to the bathroom, taking cigarette breaks and occasional quick meals, the man did not leave his seat,” the manager said.
The tragic death was discovered on Thursday afternoon when other customers complained that someone was hogging the bathroom’s toilet.
One of the Internet cafe’s attendants went in to investigate and found Chu lying face down on the toilet seat.
An ambulance was called and after arriving, the paramedics found Chu’s body already cold and his face bluish-black, indicating that he had been dead for several hours.
As a preliminary examination of the site showed no signs of a fight and there were no clear injuries on the body, the police have ruled out homicide.
Medicines to treat liver disease and gall stones were found in Chu’s motorcycle seat-trunk.
Police officers said that Chu likely perished because of his medical condition, which was exacerbated by fatigue and physical exhaustion after five days playing computer games.
This is the latest in a number of cases in recent years in Taiwan of computer gamers suffering “sudden death” after playing sessions lasting from a dozen hours to a few days.
In February last year, a man surnamed Wang (王), 40, died after playing games for 13 hours at an Internet cafe in Greater Kaohsiung.
Attendants found Wang dead, but his eyes were still open and staring at the screen as though he were still playing.
In August 2013, a 35-year-old man surnamed Chang (張) was found dead in his seat after playing games for 10 hours at an Internet cafe in Hualien City.
One of the most infamous cases was the death of a 23-year-old man surnamed Chen (陳), who died clutching a keyboard and mouse while staring ahead due to rigor mortis, at an Internet cafe in New Taipei City’s Sanchong District (三重) in February 2012.
He had reportedly gone 23 hours straight playing games without leaving his seat.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS