Gaming | June 22, 2023
Do you remember the frenzy caused by Counter-Strike during the early 2000s? At that time, the popular video game had become an obsession for people of all ages and continued to thrive until the end of the decade. The excitement of the players was so intense that an incident in France demonstrates how far emotions can go when it comes to these titles.
In 2010, Julien Barreaux, a 20-year-old French Counter-Strike player, spent six months plotting revenge against a man who had simply defeated him in the game. During one of their matches, they faced each other with knives only, and Barreaux ended up losing the encounter. This was too much for him, so he decided to step out of the virtual world and embark on a quest to find his opponent.
With nothing but the other player’s username, Barreaux began his search, which lasted about six months until he finally found his target. Armed with a knife, he knocked on the door, and when the user who called himself Mikhael in Counter-Strike opened it to greet him, Barreaux raised the weapon and plunged it into his chest.
According to media reports at the time, the knife struck a few centimeters away from the victim’s heart, allowing him to survive the attack. Meanwhile, the authorities apprehended the attacker an hour later, who wasted no time confessing his intention to eliminate the rival who had “killed” him within Counter-Strike.
Apparently, Julien Barreaux received a relatively lenient sentence for his crime. He was sentenced to two years in prison for causing serious bodily harm. When the sentence was handed down, the judge described him as a threat to society due to his disproportionate and obsessive reactions.
In addition to his two-year sentence, Barreaux underwent psychiatric evaluations and anger management therapy. Considering the circumstances, one could say that it was a necessary measure, although some felt that it was not a sufficient punishment.
The story of Barreaux, entertaining as it may be, serves as a reminder of the importance of managing emotions. After all, plotting the murder of another Counter-Strike player for six months is not the healthiest way to process them, especially when death is rarely permanent in most video games.
Today, you can still enjoy the classic Counter-Strike 1.6 from the comfort of your own home. While it may not be the same as the cybercafés of the early 2000s, this free version allows you to play with people from around the world directly in your browser. This way, you don’t have to download anything.
