Family Pursues Legal Battle Against Gaming Companies Over Addiction

A family from Arkansas filed a lawsuit against tech giant companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Nintendo under the concern of game addiction.

Addictive Nature of Video Games

While video game addiction has been one of the concerns for a while, there are still ways to prevent it. However, due to the increased exposure and accessibility of video games to children, video games continue to have an impact on children's well-being.

As per KATV, the lawsuit which was filed last November 3, alleges that major gaming companies are intentionally designing their games to be addictive to minors. The extensive use of artificial intelligence was also linked, stating its capabilities to monitor players' actions and to analyze their reactions per game. These strategies are allegedly used by these gaming companies to enhance their in-game experience and entice players to spend more hours gaming.

The document claimed that these types of engagement tracking and in-game offers, foster addictive behavior among the youth. Aside from that, the concerned parents also explained the mental and physical implications brought by gaming addiction. "Parents aren't trained on the symptoms of addiction so a lot of them didn't realize this is what was going on," Tina Bullock, CEO and partner at Bullock Ward Mason, stated.

Parents Demand Compensation

The parents involved in the lawsuit are demanding monetary compensation for the damages incurred. Moreover, they also want the companies to implement better systems that would limit video game usage for minors. "It's all about staying engaged in the game and that's what becomes addictive," Bullock claimed.

The case opened up concerning questions about how gaming companies, especially the big ones, are putting enough measures to ensure the well-being of their players. As we all know, many popular entertainment types are being blamed for societal issues.

For years, many people have been debating on whether the companies are purposely enticing gamers to the point of addiction. Regardless, there is still an individual responsibility for each gamers to control their own playing habits.