Taiwanese gamer lies dead in LAN cafe for 9 hours before anyone notices

The unconscious body of a 23-year-old sat slumped over at a Taiwanese Internet cafe for several hours before anyone noticed or said anything. The man was playing the online game League of Legends. When he passed out, there were as many as 30 other players surrounding him in the crowded space. It is unclear how long he had been at the cafe before his untimely death.

According to local authorities, the man, Chen Rong, had a pre-existing heart condition. That, combined with the cold temperature of the Internet cafe and his lack of movement may have resulted in a blood clot. The police also described Rong's body as being rigid and his hands stretched out across the keyboard and mouse. Granted, that may be the position of many living gamers, but still, how could any man be dead for nine hours before anyone says anything?

It is beyond sad that this isn't the first time something like this has happened. There have been multiple reports over the years of gamers, mostly in Asian countries, suffering slipping away into death while at their computer screen because of online RPGs. Some nations have worked to enact laws that shut down online networks during overnight hours to prevent these kinds of unfortunate situations.

[via Escapist]