Mousetrap weblog: Don't blame the internet for murder

If the internet has proved one thing about the human condition, it is our capacity for obsession. The web teems with resources and sites that are the product of myriad obsessions with every subject under the sun, from the giant Wikipedia to smaller sites such as Matthew Pyke’s Wars Central.

For most it is a healthy outlet for their interests but a tiny minority can take matters far beyond the bounds of reason.

Advance Wars, the game that Mr Pyke adored, is about as far away as you can imagine from the popular stereotype of a dark, gory, violent game. Filled with bright primary colours, cute characters and cartoon backgrounds, it is a chess-like game of strategy, available for the Nintendo DS hand-held console and aimed predominantly at the young.

Like chess, it is simple enough for children to play, while also offering plenty of strategy and depth for adults to explore, which is why it enjoys a small but dedicated following. For game players familiar with Advance Wars, the idea that it could have motivated a brutal murder seems utterly bizarre.

If the tragic death of Mr Pyke does turn out to have been committed by a member of his Advance Wars website, however, it will not be the first time that an innocuous pastime has seemingly inspired a murder. Chess itself has recorded plenty of killings over the years. Deep obsession, it seems, can thrive almost anywhere - occasionally with tragic results.

- Rob Fahey is a computer games analyst

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