Jilted Woman 'Murdered Avatar'
October 23, 2008[/align]
A jilted Japanese woman has been arrested for "murdering" an avatar in an online role-playing game - after it divorced her character. Police say the 43-year-old piano teacher admitted destroying the avatar after it finished with her character in the fantasy game Maple Story.
Officers said the woman allegedly carried out the virtual killing in mid-May by hacking into the game using an illegal identification and password. A police officer said she told investigators:"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry."
The game, which is hugely popular in South Korea and Japan, has players improving their skills and abilities by battling monsters in dungeons . There are more than 50 million subscribers to the game, who buy new clothes and gameplay enhancements from an online shop and can even "earn" a wedding.
The suspect admitted the allegation and told investigators that she was enraged by the divorce, police said. The case surfaced after a 33-year-old office worker in Sapporo, northern Japan, complained to police about the loss of his avatar, which he had "raised" for more than a year. The woman was charged with illegal access onto a computer and manipulating electronic data, police said. If convicted, she could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000 (£3,100).
www.maplestory.com
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