Deaths of gamers leave their online lives in limbo

[formercia]

Deaths of gamers leave their online lives in limbo (AP)

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090314/ap_on_hi_te/tec_death_online

* Posted on Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:39PM EDT



NEW YORK - When Jerald Spangenberg collapsed and died in the middle of a quest in an online game, his daughter embarked on a quest of her own: to let her father's gaming friends know that he hadn't just decided to desert them.

It wasn't easy, because she didn't have her father's "World of Warcraft" password and the game's publisher couldn't help her. Eventually, Melissa Allen Spangenberg reached her father's friends by asking around online for the "guild" he belonged to.
--snip--

He set up a site called Deathswitch, where people can set up e-mails that will be sent out automatically if they don't check in at intervals they specify, like once a week. For $20 per year, members can create up to 30 e-mails with attachments like video files.

--snip--


This might be a good idea for whistleblowers too...

[Orrex]

1. Curiously, their online lives often left their real lives in limbo, too

Still, that's a nice service to offer. I've heard that Yahoo has had similar issues with the email accounts of the deceased, making it difficult for friends and family to be notified.

[rcrush]

2. I've seen people do this.

When I played there was someone who died in a guild that was a friend to us. Somehow the whole server got together for a "memorial" at Ironforge. Both Horde and Alliance. THis was way back in the early days of WoW so it was easier to do that. It was a small server to.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Hopefully if something happened to me my dad would email skinner. But

other than that people are not likely to find out about me. I can't imagine hubby going to my b-boards and letting people know.

[skooooo]

4. ....misty water colored memories....of the way we were...

I'll never forget some of my online adventures from Evercrack. Being in the Tree town, and seeing all the bodies of players who had fallen off of the platforms. Killing orcs, camping....sigh....

It's almost like it really happened.

[Urban Prairie]

5. Sheesh..What's next??

I am not a gamer, but it is kinda creepy to read a known deceased messageboard member's replys to me when and old thread is bumped for some reason, on websites that I have a registered SN.

So when will someone offer their high level game membership as an "inheritance" after they pass away to the highest bidder, to help pay for their funeral or something??

Hmmm...eBuried, the online auction site for bidding on deceasedonline gamers memberships, weapons, or characters??

Someone might have already thought of this, though, I'll bet.