BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Game theft' led to fatal attack

Welcome to the future. The sad, disappointing, slightly pathetic future. As usual.

"A Chinese man has been stabbed to death in a row over a sword in online game Legends of Mir 3, say reports."

Sell a bad sword to someone in a MMORPG, get stabbed in real life.

Stabbed to death.

I have to say, I actually enjoy this sort of thing, not for the death aspect, but for the growing mesh between the real world and the online one, that people take online issues so seriously as to pursue them in reality.

I have to say my absolute favorite part was this:

"The row is thought to have blown up partly because China has no laws that cover the theft of virtual in-game items.

This is in contrast to places like South Korea which has a section of its police force that investigates in-game crime. "

Oh my god, Korea has in-game police. That's so hot. I want to see that episode of Cops!

""Yeah, I work the Everquest beat. This part of the forest has some really bad eggs.

Can I see the registration for that giant raptor, sir?

Oh, it's your cousin's raptor now?

I suppose that these illegal health power ups aren't yours either, you were just holding them for someone."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4397159.stm