Ingress, the alternate reality game where players travel to real-world locations to “capture” virtual portals, carries with it an inherent risk of danger as with any activity requiring poking around in unknown areas.
While Ingress’ community and widespread appeal is much to its favor, the tale of Frank Maxwell should provide a warning to those not exercising enough caution. In September 2015, Maxwell left his home and family in the middle of the night to go to an Irish lighthouse to help his team secure a victory. While at the lighthouse, he mentioned online that he was cold, after which he fell onto some rocks, hit his head, and drowned.
Maxwell was a passionate Ingress player who left behind a wife and son following his death by misadventure. The coroner highlighted some of the conditions that might have led to his accident: “The pier is open at both sides, the surface was uneven, it was nighttime, there are no lights, it was in the course of this game Ingress.”
We’re not here to discourage you from playing, of course, but if you do… be careful, OK?
