Just a game?

Recently a lot of dismissive comments have been made towards those taking their SL a little too seriously along the lines of "it's just a game."

But really, Games are often the things people are willing to kill for. While business is often referred to as being "cut throat", leisure activities can have less than fun consequences as well.

Ask Andrés Escobar. Well you can't he's dead. He was a former Columbian Football (soccer) player who infamously scored an own goal during the 1994 FIFA World Cup series. He's widely believed to have been killed for that mistake.

Earlier this year Darrent Williams, former player for the Denver Broncos was shot and killed hours after his team was knocked out of the Super Bowl playoffs. Police are still investigating but have not confirmed motives, though a gang related killing seems to have been ruled out.

I'm sure most of you also remember hearing about the South Korean man who died from heart failure after a 50 hour session online playing Starcraft.

Let's not forget the long running cry that Dungeons & Dragons or Grand Theft Auto III or probably even Hello Kitty are responsible for people going out and killing other people.

Then there are the less fatal varieties. Tonya Harding anyone? Or how about Wanda Holloway?

And if anyone has ever had the misfortune to see the antics of some parents during a Saturday junior sporting event, you'll know that the game IS their life.

I know I probably spend far too many hours online than are good for me, but I often wonder, when people say it's just a game I know they're meaning it's supposed to be something like hearted and fun, but do they know what they're really saying?

Like a game of monopoly with teenagers. Yeah that's SO much fun.