MMO murder trial ends News • News • Eurogamer.net

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Shanghai man convicted.

A Shanghai court has given 41 year-old Qiu Chengwei a suspended death sentence for murdering a man following a row over a virtual weapon.

As we reported back in April, Qiu loaned Zhu Caoyuan, a fellow player of MMORPG Legend of Mir, his 'dragon sabre' for use in the game.

Zhu then sold the weapon to another gamer for 7200 yuan ($870). Police told Qiu they could not charge Zhu with any crime as there is nothing in Chinese law regarding ownership of virtual property.

Zhu died after Qiu visited his home and stabbed him in the chest. Qiu later turned himself in to police and pled guilty to "intentional injury".

The suspended death sentence is equivalent to a life prison term, with a possibility of parole in 15 years.

Zhu's parents have already announced their intention to appeal for a harsher sentence. His father, Zhu Huimin, said: "My son was only 26 when he died. He was sleeping when Qiu broke into his home. He was barely able to put his pants on before Qiu stabbed him.

"We want Qiu to die, and immediately," he added.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

Comments (30) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

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bef #1 7 years ago

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Welcome to the middle ages
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#2 7 years ago

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this was reported everywhere YESTERDAY.....
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asphaltcowboy #3 7 years ago

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"We want Qiu to die, and immediately,"

Something about that quote just reminds me of the Life Aquatic:

Steve: "I'm going to find it and I'm going to destroy it. Possibly with dynamite."
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Genji #4 7 years ago

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Schoolyard nostalgia...

Wait, that's not a good thing.
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Grunk #5 7 years ago

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Possibly should have put a chain mail vest on instead of pants.

But seriously, this is tragic, and video games will undoubtedly be blamed for this, instead of the fact that anyone who thinks it's a good idea to plunge a piece of sharpened metal into his friend's chest for any reason is quite possibly mentally unstable and has been using a video game as a means to express himself, whilst being largely ignored by the society he lives in.
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max #6 7 years ago

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Personally, I get my gaming news from here. Perhaps not all of us have the time to trawl the internet daily for news stories, instead preferring to read a well written digest of things I find relevant. I hadn't heard about this, thanks for reporting it EG.

Max
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WangFu #7 7 years ago

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" this was reported everywhere YESTERDAY....."

Posting stuff like that is so last year...
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warlockuk #8 7 years ago

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Wouldn't it have been more fitting to just gank him instead?
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MoFo #9 7 years ago

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arnieofdarkness has every right to express his malcontent at EG's day old news. Just as we alll have every right to ignore him and laugh at him behind his back.
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Derblington #10 7 years ago

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arnie - visit, look and read. DO NOT TYPE SHITE.
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bionutz #11 7 years ago

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Grunk
09-Jun-05 12:56:57
Possibly should have put a chain mail vest on instead of
pants.
hihihi right on the spot Grunk! These guys live in the other world, where a sword is worth dying for. I kind of understand the murderer.
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BEAR-ONE #12 7 years ago

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You know... live by the (next guy's) sword, die by the (next guy's) sword... or, er... knife.
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stormcr0wfleet #13 7 years ago

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i wonder wich player he sold the sword to and if he still has it
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#14 7 years ago

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it would appear that one of my earlier comments was so strikingly accurate the admin have edited it.

funny that...
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krudster #15 7 years ago

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Arnie: I think it's fair to say that when we report stuff it's down to a number of things: when it comes in, who's already working on what, time differences, priority, blah. I believe yesterday a virus took out Ellie's PC, so that probably didn't help...

We're doing our best!
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bisonbassoon #16 7 years ago

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"it would appear that one of my earlier comments was so
strikingly accurate the admin have edited it.

funny that..."

I can think of something funnier.

Edited by 1 at 09/06/05 @ 14:09
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#17 7 years ago

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maybe you can answer a question for me, does the amount advertising revenue you receive depend on your number of visitors?
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Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #18 7 years ago

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I edited it because you're doing nothing but trying to start an argument, and as such, we'd have a comment section full of people agreeing/disagreeing with you, rather than commenting on the topic.

Edited by 1 at 09/06/05 @ 14:12
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#19 7 years ago

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maybe in fairness you'd like to edit out all the posts telling me to leave etc?
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Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #20 7 years ago

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Sure, that's the worst gone
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wizbob #21 7 years ago

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I wonder who is the current fated possessor of the Dragon Sabre? And is it worth more cash now?
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Leo #22 7 years ago

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If someone stole my Fiery Bow of Fortitude from Guild Wars, I'd kill them. No questions asked.

KILL THEM IN THE FACE.
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Teeth #23 7 years ago

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Well, I'm glad that's all sorted out then - can we expect less of your nonsense now, arnieofdarkness?
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bisonbassoon #24 7 years ago

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"If someone stole my Fiery Bow of Fortitude from Guild Wars,
I'd kill them. No questions asked.

KILL THEM IN THE FACE."

Possibly with dynamite?

Edited by 1 at 09/06/05 @ 15:38
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bisonbassoon #25 7 years ago

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I think the key item in this story that is escaping everyone is the following,

"A Shanghai court has given 41 year-old Qiu Chengwei"

Have they maybe got the digits of his age the wrong way round? I suspect not
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Martin #26 7 years ago

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bisonbassoon @ 09-Jun-05 15:37:23: "If someone stole my Fiery Bow of Fortitude from Guild Wars, I'd kill them. No questions asked.

KILL THEM IN THE FACE."

Possibly with dynamite?

ALOLOL!

Edited by 1 at 09/06/05 @ 17:08
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Lothar Hex #27 7 years ago

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Arnie, if this was reported "everywhere" yesterday, then I haven't seen it. I have just read it here on EuroGamer. If it's late so what? Are you going to go slag off tomorrows newspapers for reporting news that will be on TV tonight?
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#28 7 years ago

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lothar i fully expect your comment to be deleted as it is not concerning the article in question.

if you requier the latest news, visit teamxbox.
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Xerx3s #29 7 years ago

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*g* What happend to games uniting ppl and everyone getting along?

I recon that suspending his account is an even better punishment than death though :\

Sad. Really.
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Arkwright #30 7 years ago

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On a not entirely unrelated topic , does anyone know of any novels that have mmorpg's as their central premise ie. somebody trapped in a virtual world or blurring the boundaries between real life and a virtual life , that sort of thing?
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cubbymoore #31 7 years ago

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@Arkwright, .Hack? Manga, but hey it's still in book form.
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#32 7 years ago

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Teeth, most definately not, as i know i struck a nerve now...
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Leo #33 7 years ago

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Arkwright - "On a not entirely unrelated topic , does anyone know of any novels that have mmorpg's as their central premise ie. somebody trapped in a virtual world or blurring the boundaries between real life and a virtual life , that sort of thing?"

Yes! In fact, quite a good one. Worth a read. Otherland, by Tad Williams.
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asphaltcowboy #34 7 years ago

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"If someone stole my Fiery Bow of Fortitude from Guild Wars,
I'd kill them. No questions asked.

KILL THEM IN THE FACE."

Possibly with dynamite?

hehehe, good call
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rinoaMW #35 7 years ago

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Qui told the police that he tried reviving his friend several times with Phoenix Downs, but to no avail...

..in all seriousness though, this is a terrible thing to happen and will be a blow to the games industry whether we like it or not�and its a real shame to lose your life over a game....

...especially such a bad one..... /sigh
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Arkwright #36 7 years ago

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Cubbymore and Leo . Thanks for the info guys ; I'll be sure to check them out.
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