Gamer Sues Over Being Addicted to MMO Gaming

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A gamer has filed a lawsuit against publisher NCSoft, claiming that he is unable to function because of his Lineage II addiction.

Craig Smallwood says he has played a total of 20,000 hours of Lineage II over a period of five years, from 2004 to 2009. Smallwood believes his addiction has affected his quality of life and alleges in the suit that he is "unable to function independently in usual daily activities such as getting up, getting dressed, bathing or communicating with family and friends."

Smallwood is citing negligence in his claim for an unspecified amount of damages and says in the suit, according to Wired, that NCSoft should have issued a warning with the game, cautioning users about its addictive nature.

Wired reports that U.S. District Judge Alan Kay refused to dismiss parts of Smallwood’s complaint this month.

"In light of plaintiff’s allegations, the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence," the suit cites Kay as saying.

Source: Wired

Jane McEntegart
119 Comments Comment from the forums
  • descendency
    Smallwood... lol.
    Reply
  • Prince_Porter
    Haha, oh man, that's just weak. As if he REALLY would have listened to a warning on the box, or at the intro of the game.

    Now where I CAN agree that these guys should get in trouble, is that they're trying to addict us using psychology tricks. Great game design is one thing, but using psychiatrist and other experts to study the weaknesses of our brain, creating game elements around that, and purposefully getting us sucked in, that's messed up. Make a great game, have us get "hooked", don't make a game that TRIES to literally addict us.
    Reply
  • IM0001
    Just what we need. One idiot that can't figure out that nobody is forcing you to play the game, then next every game will have to have the time limit kickoff so you can only play X amount of hours a day. Someone needs to disconnect this guys Internet and power and tell him to get a real job to earn his way back into gaming like normal people. Enjoyment is supposed to be done in moderation. :/
    Reply
  • mrmoo500
    Now I'm gonna go sue verizon because I can't stop texting!
    Reply
  • surfer1337dude
    this is ridiculous....this should be thrown out and filed under common sense and stupidity.
    Reply
  • pbrigido
    I hope the judgetells him to grow up, get a job, and get on with your life.

    Reply
  • Hmmmm....20000 hours over 5 years, that makes 4000 hours a year. Divide that by 365 and you get 11 hours per day :(
    Reply
  • mcvf
    LoL
    If that would pass, Blizzard would have to pass on WoW in US.
    Reply
  • 2real
    LOL so can you sue mcdonalds for getting fat?
    Reply
  • jakmove
    so if there are ~8700 hours in a year, over 5 years that's 43500 hours. he's spent almost half of the last 5 years playing this game? i think he should sue his family and friends, not the game.
    Reply