5. Real-life PvP, Lineage II-style

Let the killing stay in the game - where it belongs.

Contrary to what some politicians say, deaths related to gaming are often eye-openers to the dangers of an unstable mind, not of video games themselves. Sometimes, however, the tragedy is so shocking that even those on the fence about the effect of video games on behavior can’t help but pin the blame on the entire industry.

The following event took place in Russia in 2008. The game at the center of the story? The MMORPG Lineage II.

Two guilds got into a heated argument after a player’s in-game character was killed by a rival guild. The two groups then agreed to settle the score in person.

Shortly after meeting in the real world, the guilds proceeded to beat the bloody snot out of each other. It got so bad that one of them had to be rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, the unnamed man succumbed to his injuries along the way. An utterly senseless death, brought about by an equally pointless feud concerning occurrences in a make-believe world.