Video Game Addiction Legal Action: Popular Titles Allegedly Causing Internet Gaming Disorder in Youth

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org believe certain game developers and publishers may have specifically designed their games to cause addiction in minors and young adults, and they’re now gathering those affected to sign up for legal action.

Lawsuits have been filed claiming that the “rapid spread” of video game addiction—which has for years been recognized by the World Health Organization as a mental illness—stems from the concerted efforts of companies like Epic Games and Rockstar Games to implement addictive features and technologies that keep young gamers continuously engaged and, crucially, spending money.

Now, parents and affected young adults are signing up for mass arbitration over what the attorneys believe is a worldwide epidemic. The attorneys are looking to take action against game developers and publishers for the social, financial and medical harm potentially caused to young players and their families.

Is This a Lawsuit? What Am I Signing Up For, Exactly?

You are not signing up for a lawsuit, but rather a process known as mass arbitration. This is a relatively new legal technique that, like a class action lawsuit, allows a large group of people to take action and seek compensation from a company over an alleged wrongdoing. Here is a quick explanation of mass arbitration from our blog:

[M]ass arbitration occurs when hundreds or thousands of consumers file individual arbitration claims against the same company over the same issue at the same time. The aim of a mass arbitration proceeding is to grant relief on a large scale (similar to a class action lawsuit) for those who sign up.”

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org believe the terms and conditions for many popular games may contain an arbitration clause requiring players to resolve disputes via arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution that takes place outside of court before a neutral arbitrator, as opposed to a judge or jury. It’s for this reason that the attorneys have decided to handle this matter as a mass arbitration rather than a class action lawsuit.

Do I Qualify for the Video Game Addiction Arbitration?

The attorneys are looking to sign up people who are 18 to 22 years of age, as well as parents and guardians of minor children, who spend an average of three or more hours per day playing video games and have experienced at least five of the following symptoms of internet gaming disorder:

• Preoccupation: thinking constantly about gaming or making it the main daily activity
• Withdrawal: feeling irritable, anxious or sad when unable to play
• Tolerance: needing to spend more and more time playing to feel satisfied
• Loss of control: failing repeated attempts to cut down or stop playing
• Neglect: losing interest in other hobbies, social events or responsibilities
• Continued use: playing heavily despite knowing it causes harm or problems
• Deception: hiding or lying to family or therapists about gaming time
• Escape: using games to run away from negative moods, stress or anxiety
• Risks: jeopardizing or losing a job, education or relationship over gaming

Specifically, they’re looking to take action on behalf of people whose gaming addiction has had a negative impact on their lives, including those who have dropped out of school or had their grades or performance drop; were diagnosed with internet gaming disorder; took their own life or attempted suicide; received counseling; experienced orthopedic injuries (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome or neck sprain); or suffered from computer vision syndrome.

How Much Does This Cost?

It costs nothing to sign up, and you’ll only need to pay if the attorneys win money on your behalf. Their payment will come as a percentage of your award.

If they don’t win your claim, you don’t pay.

How Much Money Could I Get?

There are no guarantees as to how much money you could get or whether your claim will be successful. However, those who sign up may be able to recover money for the harm they’ve experienced, including the costs of medical expenses (such as medication and therapy), monetary losses, emotional harm and more.

What Do the Video Game Addiction Lawsuits Allege?

Lawsuits have been filed against leading names in the video game industry alleging they specifically designed and developed their games to cause addiction in minors and young adults. The following are some of the claims in the video game lawsuits.

The Games Were Purposely Designed to Addict Users

The lawsuits claim that companies like Epic Games, Rockstar Games, and Roblox Corp. developed certain of their games to keep consumers playing, spending and addicted. Indeed, the video game addiction lawsuits allege the companies even enlisted behavioral psychologists and neuroscientists to conduct “state-of-the-art research” to help make the games “as addictive as possible” – especially to minors and young adults. By keeping players engaged and unable to put the games down, the companies allegedly pull in continuous profits through microtransactions and other “predatory monetization schemes” at the expense of one of the country’s most vulnerable populations.

It has been alleged that some video game developers and publishers went so far as to patent certain strategies and technologies designed to make games more stimulative, maximize play time, encourage in-game spending and ultimately addict players.

Popular Games Rife with “Predatory Monetization Schemes”

The video game addiction lawsuits take particular issue with “microtransactions,” where real money is spent on in-game items, perks, upgrades, premium features or content.

In some games, players can buy items that could have been acquired simply by playing – that is, they may choose to spend the money if they don’t have the skills or time to earn the item through regular gameplay. Others, however, offer content that can only be obtained via microtransactions.

Some microtransactions include purely cosmetic upgrades (for instance, skins that change a character’s appearance); however, the gaming industry also uses this business model to lock up significant game content or make it particularly cumbersome – or nearly impossible – to advance without spending real money (i.e., “pay-to-win” games), according to the suits. For instance, in some massively multiplayer online games, a player’s progress can be slowed down by making certain items rarer or blocking off access to certain areas unless money is spent.

Microtransactions are often seen in “free-to-play” games, such as Fortnite, where users can spend real money to buy “v-bucks,” which can then be spent to, for instance, unlock hidden features or purchase a battle pass to “accumulate game awards and advance through the game’s tiers more quickly.” They can also be found, however, in popular titles consumers must pay for upfront.

Importantly, the video game addiction lawsuits allege that microtransactions rely on the impulsive behavior of gamers and peer pressure to drive purchases. For instance, putting a time limit on a particular item may induce a player to make a rash decision to purchase; a player may also want to purchase a certain item so they can be the first of their friends to have it – or even use it to obtain a higher rank than their peers, according to the suits. 

It has also been alleged that some games go so far as to collect and use individual player data – such as game-related preferences, available funds and spending habits – to manipulate how paid offers are shown to maximize the likelihood of the person making a purchase. 

One popular microtransaction in gaming is the loot box, an in-game reward system that can be purchased repeatedly to obtain a random assortment of items. Loot boxes require no skill and have for some time been compared to a lottery system in which players, including minors, gamble with the hope of obtaining rare items that have probabilities as low as .08%. One video game addiction lawsuit claims that loot boxes result in high profits for developers and publishers “because instead of a one-time purchase for the desired item, users may have to buy multiple boxes.”

It has also been alleged that some games make use of “dark patterns” – deceptive and manipulative design practices used to trick people into making choices they otherwise would not have made – to further exploit players.

Players, Parents Received No Warning

The lawsuits also claim that the video games at issue contained no warning that they pose an unreasonable risk of harm and addiction to users, particularly minors and young adults.

Fortnite is among the games called out by the lawsuits, which claim the addictive properties of the free-to-play Battle Royale game are “so dangerous on young minds” that several health and behavioral centers have published resources for parents specifically warning about Fortnite addiction. Additionally, one doctor studying how to use hospital detoxification to cure dependence on video games noted that a 15-year-old Spanish teenager who played Fortnite for up to 20 hours per day suffered from an addiction “similar to addiction to heroin, cocaine and other chemical substances.” Despite these concerns, Epic Games, like other game developers, failed to disclose the risks it “purposefully built” into its game, the lawsuits claim.

Further, it has been alleged that game developers and publishers could have made design changes to make their games less addictive and minimize the harms posed to players, including by implementing limits on minors’ in-game purchases and blocks on when the games can be played (e.g., no playing after 11 p.m.).

Which Games Are Being Mentioned in the Gaming Addiction Lawsuits?

However, legal action is not limited to just these titles, and those who became addicted to other video games may still be eligible to sign up.

What Is Internet Gaming Disorder?

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th edition (DSM-5), a handbook used by clinicians to diagnose and classify mental disorders, as “a pattern of excessive and prolonged Internet gaming that results in a cluster of cognitive and behavioral symptoms” similar to those of substance use disorders.

Specifically, the DSM-5 states that a person must exhibit at least five of these nine gaming addiction symptoms within a 12-month period to fit the diagnostic criteria. In general, internet gaming disorder must lead to significant impairment or distress in aspects of a person’s life, such as work or school, and is included in the DSM-5 in the section recommending conditions for further research. According to one video game addiction lawsuit, the DSM-5 acknowledges that “several consequences from gaming disorder arise within only 5 to 12 weeks of beginning to play.”

Gaming disorder has also been included in the 11^th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), a globally used system for classification of physical and mental illnesses that’s maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO).

For a person to be diagnosed with gaming disorder under the ICD-11, the individual’s behavior must result in “significant impairment” to their job, personal/social life, schooling, or family relationships and have been evident for at least 12 months. 

Gaming Addiction and Its Negative Effects

In 2008, the acting Federal Communications Commissioner said that online gaming addiction is “one of the top reasons for college dropouts” in the country, specifically calling out World of Warcraft.

Gaming Addiction Causing Problems: Reddit Complaints

The following are among the complaints posted on Reddit from parents who say their young children are addicted to gaming [sic throughout, emphasis ours]:

My 13yr old son is addicted to gaming. When we stop him or make him come out of the room for meals or chores, he behaves grouchily and sometimes angrily. He sets alarms for 3am or 4am to game or use his computer on a school night. I am worried that the lack of sleep will affect his development and immunity but husband says to let him be and let him learn the hard way, that it isn’t sustainable….”
— r/Parenting, Reddit.com

My son is 15 years old and he is diagnosed with adhd and autism. He spends a lot of his time playing world of Warcraft which his dad also plays and pays for the game… I didn’t think much of it until I… received complaints from his teachers about him not engaging with the class, misbehaving, not doing his school work etc. I also received a call from the school stating that his grades are so bad that he is going to stay in 9th grade next year… The last straw was when I found a 60 day subscription card in his room which he used his allowance to pay in for behind my back and sneaking into the library to play the game and sneaking a laptop I have already hid into his bedroom to play…”
— r/Parenting, Reddit.com

So our son has great social skills, has ranked at the top of his class in high school and college, played football and track, has ADHD, is currently enrolled at a 25k/semester engineering school. He has not started to do any course-work…He barely watches/participates in lectures, does not complete assignments, and spends no time studying or learning. He has lost all curiosity about his passion for robotics engineering. I was able to get him disability services for his depression, and he recently began taking Prozac…Son claims that his competitive side needs an outlet, so he began to stroke this need with competitive video games. He…created a twitch account a week before the start of the semester. With a few twitch followers, I could see his dopamine daze explode and his downward spiral begin. Two weeks ago, Son dropped a class because of a reduced course load accommodation…He explodes when talking with me as I ask him for a plan to ‘begin’ his coursework…”
— r/StopGaming, Reddit.com

My son is addicted to video games to the point where it's affecting his studies and having a negative impact on the whole family. His grades are declining, and his behaviour is growing worse. If we turn off the Wi-Fi in an attempt to seize his playing, he throws a fit. He screams and yells at us, saying terrible things like that he might as well be dead…”
— r/Parenting, Reddit.com

Gaming Addiction Effects on the Brain

Research has shown that playing video games can affect how the brain functions and even change its structure.

For instance, a review of 116 scientific studies published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2017 found that those suffering from video game addiction showed functional and structural alterations in the brain’s reward system, which is responsible for pleasure, motivation and reinforcement learning. According to Medical News Today, these changes could be seen by “exposing video game addicts to game-related cues that cause cravings, and monitoring their brain responses,” noting that such changes are also seen in other addictive disorders.

The Cleveland Clinic points out that video game addiction may present similarly to other well-established addictions related to substance use disorders in that the same parts of the brain – specifically, those that release dopamine – “are activated when you have any addiction.”

One video game addiction lawsuit notes that increased dopamine releases in the brain can ultimately lead to symptoms of withdrawal — which may include anger, irritability and physical outbursts — in addicted youths when games are taken away or otherwise cannot be played.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, research has suggested that those playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are most at risk for video game addiction due to “the ever-present pressure to level up their characters, participate in seasonal or time-sensitive limited events and constant access to in-game rewards.”

Gaming Addiction and Mental Health

Can Video Games Cause Anxiety and Depression?

Research does not currently show that simply playing video games causes depression, and some evidence even suggests that responsible play can improve depressive symptoms. When it comes to excessive and problematic gaming, however, there appears to be evidence of an association or overlap with poor mental health outcomes.

For instance, two common effects of gaming addiction — disrupted sleep and reduced physical activity —are both known contributors to symptoms of depression. ChoosingTherapy.com also points out that the financial burden, escapism, loneliness, decreased social interaction and hostile environments associated with gaming — including that which is done excessively — can exacerbate existing depression.

Additionally, one research article suggests that behavioral addictions like problematic online gaming may be a “maladaptive way of coping with primary states of depression or anxiety” or that these mental health conditions may “occur as a consequence of various problems associated with behavioural addictions.”

Problematic online gaming has also been associated with increased levels of social anxiety and symptoms of inattention and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One video game addiction lawsuit points out that individuals with ADHD may have an increased susceptibility to developing gaming disorder according to some comorbidity studies.

A study published in 2023 of children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia also concluded that “[e]xcessive video game playing negatively influences mental health and leads to issues including anxiety, depression, and ADHD.” Likewise, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that problematic gaming was associated with “a wide range of detrimental health-related outcomes,” such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 

Lastly, in what’s known to be the first of its kind, a review published in 2022 found an association between problem gaming and suicidal ideation, though there were some limitations to the study, which concluded more research needs to be done on gaming addiction and suicide.

Gaming Addiction and Other Health Problems

Overuse and Other Injuries

Furthermore, video games require constant eye focus, which means players may be more prone to developing computer vision syndrome or “digital eye strain” than those who just use phones, tablets or other digital devices too frequently.

Additionally, video games can trigger seizures in people with epilepsy, with one medical researcher penning a paper calling seizures induced by massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) a “neglected health problem in internet addiction.”  

Increased Aggression and Gamer Rage

Concerns have persisted for decades about the effect of digital games on the aggressive behavior of children and young people. Violent content has long been studied as a possible cause of real-life aggression; however, when it comes to “gamer rage,” children in one study identified other specific features or characteristics of a game – such as in-game failures, other players’ actions, technical problems and out-of-game interruptions – as the main reasons for their rage.

This same study, published in the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction in 2022, specifically found that competitive multiplayer games such as Fortnite were often mentioned by study participants as those that could lead to increased aggression.  

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