1. A 13 Year-Old Killing Himself To 'Join His Characters'
And to finish, a sad mix of tragedy and stupidity. It's one thing to start having feelings towards someone like Bioshock: Infinite's Elizabeth, but to genuinely feel like your life is intertwined with that of your on-screen cast of characters is a bit much. Such was the case for one Zhang Xiaoyi, who after playing for 36 hours straight on Blizzard's World Of Warcraft took his own life by jumping from the top of a 24-storey building. Why, you ask? Because he decided that was the only way to "join the heroes he worshipped". It's pretty messed up stuff, and definitely an example of how the combination of being constantly immersed in a particular title - with that of a living environment that is less than ideal - can do to a young imitable mind. In something of a response to the amount of game-addiction deaths, Blizzard have implemented the 'Rest' feature that helps to level your characters even when the game is turned off, actually encouraging you to take a break instead of letting the many tasks and quests of an average session consume you. Are there any other shocking examples of game addiction you've come across? Which games are so addictive you had to stop yourself playing? Let us know in the comments!
