Over the last few years, more and more news stories have surfaced talking about young adults dying allegedly due to video games. I am sick of this crap, and I think it’s time to speak up.

First off, I do not doubt that these kids died, and that video games played some roll in those deaths. However, I refuse to believe that video games were the sole influence for them. Think about it this way: if you decide you want to stay up all night and go on a gaming rampage, you would not think that you would end up dead on the other side. These people who are dying from “playing too many video games over an extended period of time” are basically asking for it.

Most of the time, the gamers in question don’t bring any food with them, don’t take breaks to get water or go to the bathroom, etc. Now, what does that tell you? Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is that these people have absolutely no self-control whatsoever, so who is to say it’s the video game’s fault? Hell, these gamers could have just as easily stumbled onto some cocaine at a party and due to their lack of self-control, end up addicted and suffer a heart attack. To me, that is just as likely as someone dying from a video game.

Another worthwhile thing to think about is where these deaths are taking place. In large part, gaming deaths are happening in Southeast Asian countries where teens and young adults go to PC bars to play games in total silence, effectively getting sucked in for hours on end with no distractions. In these PC bars, there appears to be (don’t quote me on this) no easy way to acquire food or water (like, for example, a water fountain or vending machine). So, is it the game’s fault that the environment gamer’s play in is without the basic necessities for human existence? I don’t think so.

I admit, gaming can be pretty habit forming (not going to say “addicting”). And sure, it is possible that kids are dying due to blood clots in the legs after sitting in a chair for hours on end. In this regard, games are responsible, at least a little, for some fatalities. But, is it that hard for a person to stand up for a few minutes while playing? I would think someone could hunch over their keyboard and mouse to prevent blood clots.

It’s just sad to see games getting such a bad wrap. In a way, it’s almost like because they are the most recent form of mass appeal entertainment, they get blamed for damn near everything. We’ve all heard the “violence in video games inspires real life crimes” claims, and now we have to deal with these “gaming deaths” on a nearly weekly basis. I’m tired of it, and I am sure many of you feel the same way.

So I ask, what are your opinions on deaths “due” to video games? Are they legit, or just another attempt to villanize the gaming industry?