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Studios are willing to do whatever it takes to defend the intellectual property of their products. Rockstar, for example, sued the hacker who leaked several GTA 6 data on the Internet. When the biggest companies no longer hesitate to go to court, so will the public. It must be said that video games have always had a bad reputation in the eyes of some (whether proven or not).
A complaint has been filed against several major studios (Microsoft, Epic Games, Activision Blizzard, EA, and others) for “promoting video game addiction.”
Very angry parents
On October 30, Casey Dunn and Thomas Dunn formally filed a complaint with the state of Arkansas on behalf of their son. The aim of the lawsuit is to seek compensation for the injuries and costs caused by her son’s video game addiction, but most importantly to shed light on video game addiction. Several games are named in the complaint, including Battlefield, Call of Duty, Fortnite and Rainbow Six. It is stated that the 13-year-old son plays on different platforms: his phone, his Nintendo Switch or even his Xbox Series X. He also plays games through the Xbox Game Pass subscription service and in streaming. It’s true that this seems a bit excessive for a 13-year-old.
However, according to the plaintiffs, the studios use “patented designs, algorithms and marketing with addictive features and technologies” that lead to addiction.
We never imagined that when our son started playing video games, he would become so addicted that his education would be seriously affected, he would lose interest in spending time with his friends, and his physical and mental health would be damaged would.
These video game companies targeted and exploited children, putting their profits above all else. As a mother, I knew I had to do something to ensure they didn’t destroy our children’s well-being and future.
Casey Dunn
Her son’s addiction would therefore have had a huge impact on his life“physical pain in the hands, elbows and shoulders,” a loss of socialization, excessive anger, but also a monthly expenditure of $350 per month on games.
The plaintiffs are therefore seeking financial compensation, but also want a change in the way the games are designed and offered, as well as “additional mental health resources for families faced with the need to treat young children addicted to gambling.” .
The first in a long series?
Family lawyer Tina Bullock hopes to raise awareness and bring about change with her lawsuit. For them, the addition of video games is a serious problem that needs to be better addressed but, above all, better recognized in today’s society.
Video game addiction is a serious, life-altering disorder that steals the lives of children and tears apart families across the country. Parents like me often mistakenly believe that if their child becomes addicted it is a failure on their part. However, with this litigation we hope to shed light on the misconduct, deception and manipulation of our children by these companies for their own financial gain.
Tina Bullock
For them, this complaint is just the beginning of a long battle. “This is the first in a long series of lawsuits that will be filed in the coming weeks,” she said.
If you’re curious, you can find the entire complaint at this address.