For the second time in a year, someone in Russia has died because of Lineage II.  A clan rivalry between the Palatanium and the (not kidding) Coo Clocks led to the beating death of a 33 year-old Russian man named Albert.  After an online battle, Albert and his 22-year old rival agreed to meet in the real world where Albert was fatally beaten.  To make matters worse, members of the Coo-Clocks have continued to threaten the life of the victim’s sister even after Albert’s death, and though the suspect has been arrested and is being tried for murder, has not apologized nor shown any sign of remorse.

As mentioned, this is not the first time that Lineage II loyalties have led to real world murder in Russia.  In January, 2007 Alexander Ponamorenko traveled from Moscow to the Ukraine to meet his rival in real world PvP.  In the ensuing fight, a man who tried to break up the melee was apparently stomped to death by Ponamorenko.  Similar incidents have also been reported in Korea and China.

Sorry to break tone, but what in the blue hell is wrong with these people?  It’s an MMO, for God’s sake.  And not even a good one!  It’s imbeciles like this that make gamer-bashers like Jack Thompson seem like they might actually have a point.  My condolences to the families of the victims.  My eternal condemnation to the Coo-Clocks.