Think you’re a gaming addict ? Odds are, you’ll probably never top one Chinese gamer’s six-year streak at his local Internet cafe.
Internet gaming bars are ubiquitous in China, and the nation is actually seeing a growing addiction to the popular pastime . A popular, if dramatic, example of the trend comes from the Jilin province where a man named Li Meng is making headlines for his six year gaming marathon, spent entirely in his local Internet gaming cafe.
Xinhua.net reports that Li Meng has been pretty much isolated from the outside world for the past six years (aside from the occasional pause for a shower), having tucked himself away into a corner of his local Internet cafe to pursue a life of online gaming. He was reportedly there for so long that the cafe manager barely noticed he was there, and he barely kicked up any fuss.
So how the heck did he get away with gaming for six years straight? He has to go to work eventually, right? Not really. According to Xinhua :
“As he talked to our reporter, his gaze was locked to the computer screen, the plastic bag containing his dinner open by his side. He has a monthly income of RMB2,000, of which 500 is paid as a fee to the café every month.”
Li Meng reportedly plays with a diamond-studded joystick, with the cafe’s manager deducing that he was being modest about his income and that he really makes a lot more selling custom mods and other Internet gaming gold.
It took experts from the Changchun Psychological Centre to confirm that Li Meng is probably addicted to his computer.
“Over the years, on-line gaming addiction has always been linked to escapism, but now it seems this escapism can lead to a real life income. But whether we’re talking addiction to gaming, or just simply work, the human body is not made to continuously toil for 24 hours day and night,” they said.
But all of that Internet gaming can’t be good for your well-being. When does Li Meng see his family?
“He never speaks. In fact we were all amazed that when New Year rolled around, he didn’t even return home. We gave him some dumplings, at least,” said a source.
Are you a gaming addict? Do you think you can top six years at an Internet cafe?