© CVG Australia
A man known only as Chuang has reportedly died after playing Diablo III for 40 hours without taking a single break. According to reports, he booked himself into a private room in an internet cafe at lunchtime on Friday and settled himself in for nearly two days of non-stop gaming with no food or sleep.
Chuang was left alone in that time, with an employee of the cafe only coming in on the Sunday morning to check on him, where she found him resting on the table. Chuang then woke up, took a few steps and collapsed. He was taken to hospital, but died shortly after his arrival.
Blizzard released a statement following Chuang's death:
"We're saddened to hear this news, and our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. We don't feel it would be appropriate for us to comment further without knowing all of the circumstances involved.
"While we recognise that it's ultimately up to each individual or their parent or guardian to determine playing habits, we feel that moderation is clearly important, and that a person's day-to-day life should take precedence over any form of entertainment."
The cause of death has yet to be determined, but authorities suspect that, after spending such a long time seated, Chuang suffered cardiovascular problems or a fatal blood clot.
Earlier this year, another Taiwanese person was found dead in an internet cafe after reportedly playing League of Legends for 23 hours straight.
Video games are an escape from everyday life.