Summary of the video game addiction lawsuit between Nintendo and Microsoft:
- Who: Plaintiff Andrew Sayers filed a video game addiction lawsuit against Microsoft, Nintendo of America, and other game developers.
- why: The complaint alleges that the companies intentionally create addictive games and monetization schemes to get young people to spend more time and money on video games.
- where: The lawsuit between Microsoft and Nintendo was filed in federal court in Georgia.
A recent Microsoft lawsuit filed by a plaintiff who allegedly suffers from video game addiction claims that Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Rockstar Games, and other video game developers intentionally They are developing addictive games.
Plaintiff Andrew Sayers, 23, claims that video game addiction is a global epidemic that is harming our nation's youth and young adults and negatively impacting his life.
Sayers said he spends about five to nine hours a day playing games like Fortnite, Minecraft, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto on his Nintendo and Xbox devices. He says he first started playing video games when he was 10 years old.
According to Nintendo and Microsoft's lawsuit, he has “continued to play video games at an uncontrollable pace ever since.”
Mr. Sayers claims that his video game addiction to the defendants' products has caused him to suffer brain damage, gamer rage, psychological distress, behavioral problems, difficulty concentrating in school, poor grades, and withdrawal symptoms. ing.
He has also been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and claims his addiction to video games has exacerbated his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The severity of these injuries required outpatient counseling and tutoring, the lawsuit alleges.
Nintendo and Microsoft lawsuit alleges game developer targets youth with monetization scheme
The lawsuit alleges that recent growth in the video game industry is due to a patented monetization scheme that targets minors by inducing in-game purchases of downloadable products.
According to Nintendo's lawsuit, these in-game purchases often take the form of low-cost microtransactions, but players are often required to make multiple purchases to advance in the game. Sayers argues that game developers are offering microtransactions in ways that are intended to enhance gameplay and “increase players' dopamine levels behind the paywall.”
Video game developers and publishers rely on pre-teens and young adults becoming addicted to video games. That's because they spend more time playing games and more money on in-game purchases, Sayers argues.
The ultimate goal for video game developers is for the revenue from microtransactions to exceed the revenue from one-time games, according to the lawsuit. Sayers argues that youth and young adults are the most vulnerable to these manipulative monetization schemes.
The Nintendo and Microsoft lawsuits allege claims of negligence, strict liability, fraudulent misrepresentation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Consumers have been attacking the makers of Fortnite lately. in a class action lawsuit They claim that the company collects personal information without the consent of parents and violates children's privacy.
Have you or a loved one struggled with video game addiction? Tell us your story in the comments.
Mr. Sayers is represented by Paul W. Painter III of Bowen Painter Trial Lawyers, Tina Block of Block Ward Mason LLC, and Richard Meadow of Meadow Law Firm, LLC.
of Video game addiction lawsuit between Nintendo and Microsoft teeth Andrew Sayers v. Microsoft, et al.Case No. 4:24-cv-00078, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Savannah District.
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