A 38-year-old Tokyo resident has been arrested on stalking charges including on social media and, more unusually, in multiplayer video game Final Fantasy 14.
As reported by Kobe News, translated by Siliconera and verified by IGN, Japanese police arrested a man for behaviour that violates Japan's Anti-Stalking Control Law. The man has been accused of sending a 28-year-old woman threatening messages.
It's unclear how much of the alleged activity took place within Final Fantasy 14 itself, where players can message each other while roaming the world, but the man was also accused of using social media websites like Twitter and Line to send messages.
In the game, however, the man also allegedly followed the victim's character around without permission while sending unwanted messages, and continued to follow her even after being blocked. The messages sent in Final Fantasy 14 and on social media allegedly urged the woman to speak with the man and not neglect him, otherwise he would tell her family about their prior private conversations.
The man has denied some of the charges made against him and said he has no romantic feeling towards the woman.
Final Fantasy 14 is a massively multiplayer online take on the classic game franchise, letting players explore a fantastical world, battle monsters, and interact with others. An update released earlier in October allowed players to experience the entire game without having to interact with others, but it still requires an online connection meaning other players will still be present in the world.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.