The 18-year-old lad is believed to have collapsed during a marathon session of Diablo 3.

He was found by workers in the internet cafe in Tainan, southern Taiwan.

It is believed he had not eaten for two days.

The gamer has so far only been identified by his surname, Chuang.

On the morning of July 15, an attendant entered the room and found Chuang resting on a table. After the attendant woke him, he stood, took a few steps and then collapsed, reports said.

He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

Police were investigating the cause of death and an autopsy was being carried out.

It has been speculated that sitting for long hours in a sedentary position created cardiovascular problems for Chuang.

The teen had been playing the latest instalment of the role-playing game.

It is the second death from playing video games in the country this year.

In February, a man in New Taipei was found dead, slumped in a chair facing a computer with his arms still reaching out for the keyboard after playing for 23 hours. The cause of death was reported as cardiac arrest.