could die / could've died

[Boris Tatarenko]

I was playing a computer game and there was a dangerous in-game situation but one of my teammates saved me.
I automatically said "I could've died!" but then I asked myself whether "I could die" also worked.

What would you say?

I'm very confused right now. Would you mind throwing some light on this issue?

 

[Raymott]

I feel a need to be pedantic.
"As the possibility of dying was only before you uttered the word ..."
That is, the possibility of dying is not current when you uttered the words. "I could die" is not true at the time of speaking.

 

[GoesStation]

"I could die" is idiomatic if, for example, you've done something really embarrassing. "I'm so humiliated I could die!"

 

[emsr2d2]

You could have said "Thanks. I could've died. Of course, I still could!"