Esports: Competitive gaming has become extremely popular in the past decade, leading to the rise of professional gamers and content creators.
Interpersonal Drama: High tension among players often results in conflicts; however, in rare cases, these conflicts have tragically led to violence and murder.
Scope: This lecture covers several tragic incidents involving professional gamers.
Madden Player: David Katz
Background
24-year-old from Baltimore, MD.
Troubled individual with a history of mental illness and family issues.
Known in the Madden community by various gamer tags (Raven’s Champ, bread, etc).
Clutch victory in Madden 2017 Championship.
Known for his stoic demeanor.
Incident
August 26, 2018: Madden NFL 19 qualifier event in Jacksonville, FL.
Katz loses in the tournament and returns with two loaded handguns, killing 2 (Eli Clayton and Taylor Robertson) and injuring 11 before committing suicide.
Potential motives include underlying gaming beef and Katz's mental instability.
Venue destruction and community responses following the tragedy.
Call of Duty Mobile Player: Guilherme Alves Costa
Background
18-year-old Brazilian competitive player known as Flashlight.
Struggled with depression; few friends but had a bond with Ingrid Oliveira Bueno da Silva (rival player known as Sol).
Incident
February 22, 2021: Ingrid visits Guilherme under the pretense of playing COD together.
Guilherme kills Ingrid with a sword, films the aftermath, and sends it to a WhatsApp group.
Motive: Delusional attack against Christianity, per his 52-page manifesto.
Guilherme receives 14 years in prison.
PlayStation 4 Robbery: Daniel Zeitz
Background
28-year-old Gears of War player known as Phobos.
Planned to sell a PlayStation 4 via Craigslist.
Incident
September 12, 2014: Meeting with couple Nathaniel Vivian and Kayla Dixon goes wrong as they attempt to rob Daniel.
Daniel is shot and killed by Kayla. Both perpetrators arrested.
Kayla receives 40 years; Nathaniel gets life in prison.
Community and GoFundMe responses.
League of Legends Player: Doublelift (Yiliang Peng)
Background
Professional player since 2011 known for his bad-boy persona and trash-talking.
Family issues: parents initially unsupportive of his gaming career; kicked out of home.
Reconciled with family over time.
Incident
March 31, 2018: Doublelift's brother, Yihong, stabs and kills their mother, critically injures their father.
Yihong arrested and charged; motive unclear but related to a breakup and possible underlying family issues.
Aftermath
Doublelift continues to play and win tournaments despite the tragic event.
Yihong's case still ongoing as of recent updates.
Filipino DOTA Players: Joshua Laksamana & Julius Sebastian
Background
Competitive DOTA players from Tarlac City.
Attended a tournament in Baguio City, hitchhiked back home.
Incident
Joshua allegedly involved in a motorcycle theft shootout according to police; friends and family dispute these claims.
Suspicions of police corruption and mishandling of the case.
Mother of the deceased advocates for justice.
Conclusion
Reflection: These cases highlight the extreme outcomes of gaming rivalries and individual struggles, emphasizing the need for mental health support and ethical policing.