Epic Games Sued: Fortnite As Harmful As Cocaine

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 04:29

According to the lawsuit, it is said that after two weeks of “consumption” in the player's brain, the pleasure hormone dopamine will be released and will develop an addiction similar to that of cocaine. This is to guarantee the dependency of its users and manipulate the brain to such an extent that it wants to get more and more of this feeling. This tactic is also used by slot machines or variable reward programs.

Although Fortnite can be played without real money, children spend a lot of it to afford the game currency V-Bucks. Thus, dances ("emotes"), skins and tailor-made outfits for the virtual alter ego can be obtained.

More should be warned of the dangers

Alessandra Esposito Chartrand, a lawyer at Calex Lègal, told the CBC in Canada that this is an important case that needs urgent attention. The lawsuit is based on the 2015 Quebec Superior Court verdict, which found tobacco companies guilty of failing to warn of the harmful side effects of cigarette consumption. According to Chartrand, Epic Games should be responsible for issuing such currencies.

Just last year, the World Health Organization classified "video game addiction" as a diagnosable condition after a 15-year-old had to be treated for eight weeks because he excessively refused to stop playing to leave home.

According to a survey by Common Sense | SurveyMonkey, one in five parents has trouble separating their children from Fortnite. This brings not only some dangers to the children, but also a lot of complaints.

Why is Fortnite so successful? And which games have influenced Fortnite? You can find the answers in this video:

Battle Royale: From the underground genre to the phenomenon of repeat offenders. It is not Fortnite's first complaint

The excerpt from the process alludes to the fact that Fortnite players are currently required to spend money to progress in the game. Earlier this year, they were sued for "save the world" mode, which makes it impossible to separate game progress from loot progress. If you don't spend money on loot boxes, the chances of progress are very slim. It is played with the children's fear of not being able to keep up with their friends or opponents.

Another lawsuit that also deals with in-app purchases is the class action lawsuit filed by One LLP Lawyers. There it is criticized that Epic Games has not installed an integrated child protection system, which requires the consent of the legal guardian for purchases. This violates the California Consumer Protection Act because parents cannot revoke children's purchases and receive no refund.

Start photo gallery (10 photos)

As for the Montreal lawsuit, Quebec Superior Court has not approved the lawsuit and the allegations have not been tried in court. This could be due to the fact that every player who would allow him to go to court must waive his right. Disputes should be settled individually.