Lawsuit Claims Video Game Companies Intentionally Make Products Addictive
By Movieguide® Contributor
A new lawsuit combined five previous complaints to hold video game companies accountable for the mental havoc they have wreaked on players by intentionally creating addictive games.
“Each Defendant is aware that its video games are harmful to minors and young adults because Defendant specifically designed their games to addict,” the lawsuit states. “To this avail, each Defendant employs behavioral psychologists and/or neuroscientists in order to develop games that will best utilize psychological tactics to keep players engaged for longer periods of time.”
Some of the most egregious examples include loot boxes, which are bought for a set amount of money and provide players with rewards with differing levels of rarity. Rewards are also awarded after players have played for a certain amount of time, incentivizing longer periods of gaming.
Because of these practices, 8.5% of all gamers struggle with “gaming disorder,” an addictive behavior that results in an impairment in “personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of function,” according to the World Health Organization.
One of the previous complaints included in the new lawsuit paints a picture of how a gaming disorder can affect children’s lives. The complaint explained that a 12-year-old boy, identified as G.D., spends up to $350 per month on in-game purchases. G.D.’s parents also noted that “he has no friends, weighs 300 lbs. [and] cannot behave in school and must be homeschooled.”
The combined lawsuit looks to follow the precedent of current lawsuits against social media companies, which are being sued for making their platforms intentionally addictive while catering to a young audience. The social media platforms are seen as liable because they ignored clear, continuous evidence that their sites caused younger users to experience negative mental side effects, such as depression and anxiety.
While it is unclear how this lawsuit will pan out, if the companies were to be found guilty, the verdict would drastically change the course of the largest entertainment industry in the world. Microsoft, Epic, EA, Ubisoft and Nintendo are among the defendants named in the case.
Movieguide® previously reported:
An Arkansas mother filed a lawsuit against major video game companies, including Microsoft and Nintendo, earlier this month for making their products too addictive for children.
“We never imagined when our son started playing video games that he would become so addicted that his education would severely suffer, he would lose all interest in spending time with his friends, and his physical and mental health would be at risk,” Casey Dunn, the mother who filed the lawsuit, said.
“These video game companies have targeted and taken advantage of kids, prioritizing their profit over all else. As a mom, I knew I had to do something to ensure they don’t get away with destroying the wellbeing and futures of our children,” she added.
Tina Bullock, the family’s attorney, explained how video games become addictive.
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