Two of the fifteen lawsuits targeting major video game companies, which accused them of intentionally addicting players, were dismissed by the plaintiffs following a brief legal dispute. In recent years, concerns over “Internet Gaming Disorder,” or video game addiction, have surged among parents and healthcare professionals regarding its effects on players’ mental and physical health. Now, multiple plaintiffs from ten different districts are suing 26 major video game companies, including Activision, to hold them accountable for their game addiction. However, the outlook for claimants appears grim, as some cases have already been dropped.
The first lawsuit of this kind was filed in November 2023, when an Arkansas family sued several video game companies over video game addiction. The case argued that these companies used strategies like incentivizing extended playtime for progression and employing artificial intelligence to offer enticing in-game rewards to keep them engaged and hooked. However, as of now, no similar lawsuit has successfully held the defendants accountable.
The Pokemon Company wins a $15 million copyright lawsuit against a Chinese video game company that copied multiple Pokemon characters.
A new wave of complaints against video game companies, including Activision Blizzard, Roblox, Microsoft, and Nintendo, began gaining attention this...
