The story of the Duct-Tape LAN party ceiling gamer

primesuspect

The photo is ubiquitous. We've all seen it. The PC gamer playing CounterStrike while duct-taped to the ceiling. It perfectly captures the feeling of those early 2000s LAN parties when PC rigs were heavy, clunky, and space was at a premium.... and when we all had endless free time and help from our parents to have these crazy get-togethers.

Now, Kotaku has done the research and caught up with the dudes behind the magic photo. Turns out it was 2002 in Mason, MI, a small town where a group of gamer friends got together to play CS.

DontCallMeKelso

I'm disappointed it wasn't one of us

Garg

We were too busy duct-taping people to telephone poles.

On the other hand, it's not too late.

Linc

Those mini-reunions in the comment sections of this picture help keep the group together and caught up, long after it splintered and scattered to the wind. Some still try to get together, either online through modern games like League of Legends or in-person.

“Not quite LAN parties,” said Brian of recent Mason get-togethers. “We’ve done some of those, but we’re all adults. Dragging the rigs around aren’t quite as easy as it was back then, and we’re all adults now, too. We had more time back then.”

Yeah, who does LAN parties as adults 15 years later, right? Sounds impossible.

CrazyJoe

"Dragging the rigs around aren’t quite as easy as it was back then..."

I disagree. It is much easier since we don't all have 200lb. CRTs and we can game quite a bit on laptops today. It is infinitely easier to drag the rigs around than it was back then.

Garg

I attribute all aging-related joint pain to carrying around my 19" Trinitron monitor for a few years. I think the secret to the picture quality was lead.

CB

The lead was the secret to not irradiating the user.

GHoosdum

@CB said:
The lead was the secret to not irradiating the user.

Plus it just tastes good.