Video games or “video-gaming” is a lucrative industry. In a single year, video games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto collectively contributed to the industry generating $184 billion in revenue worldwide. Most of those dollars come through mobile gaming, in-game purchases, and subscriptions. However, while the video game industry has boosted profits, video game addiction has spread in Alabama and throughout the country.
At Gartlan Injury Law, we put people first and protect the rights of consumers. We’re now investigating claims that developers, publishers, and marketers intentionally designed and marketed these video games to addict gamers, especially minors and young adults, and caused them and their families to suffer severe physical, emotional, and financial harm.
Have you or a loved one suffered harm from video game addiction? Do you want to learn more about video game addiction lawsuits? If so, contact us today at Gartlan Injury Law today at (334) 600 1882 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer, receive a free consultation, and learn more about how we can put our extensive product liability background and resources to work for you.
What Is Video Game Addiction?
No legal definition exists for “video game addiction.” However, it is a recognized mental health illness. The 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) uses the label “gaming disorder.” The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) uses “internet gaming disorder” as the term.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which publishes the DSM-5, a person may suffer from video game addiction if they show at least five of the following symptoms over 12 months:
- Preoccupation with playing video games
- Withdrawal symptoms when not video-gaming
- Increased tolerance, or a need to spend more time gaming
- Loss of control, or failed efforts to regulate playing video games
- Surrender from other activities, or loss of interest in doing anything else
- Continuation of video-gaming despite knowing it causes problems
- Deceiving family, therapists, or others about the extent of their gaming
- Using video games as an “escape,” or a way to avoid negative feelings
- Harm to relationships at home, school, or work, and loss of relationships and education or career opportunities due to video gaming.
As the Cleveland Clinic notes, researchers have found that playing video games may release the flow of dopamine. This neurotransmitter (or brain chemical) triggers feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, and it affects a person’s memory, mood, attention, and other functions. In addition to online gaming addiction, dopamine also plays a role in drug and gambling addictions.
What Are Some of the Harmful Effects of Gaming?
As someone who is dealing with video game addiction, or whose loved one is a child or young adult who suffers from gaming disorder, you may have observed the many negative consequences that come from it.
The most common harmful effects include the following:
- Physical — Sleep and eating disorders, computer vision syndrome, digital eye strain, and repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Mental — Mental health disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, or anxiety, or “rage” incidents that result from the inability to control one’s emotions.
- Social — As a person’s gaming addiction worsens, they may withdraw from their loved ones and avoid socializing with others.
- School and/or work — Due to the time and attention given to gaming, a person’s focus on work or school can easily slip away, leading to missed tasks or assignments and increasingly poor performance.
- Financial — Compulsive gaming can also lead to compulsive spending on items like computers, game consoles, expensive gaming gear, in-game purchases, and subscriptions.
How Can Parents Help Prevent Video Game Addiction?
Research shows that the majority of gamers are young people, with a high percentage of minors involved in gaming.
As a parent, you can try to prevent your child from developing video game addiction by taking steps such as:
- Talking with your child about the adverse effects of compulsive gaming
- Establishing rules that address the amount of time spent gaming
- Balancing your child’s gaming with other physical and social activities.
- Keeping a close watch on the money your child spends on video games, including in-game purchases and subscriptions.
If you are a parent who believes your child suffers from video game addiction, you should seek help from a mental health professional, which may lead to treatment such as medication or the use of individual and group therapy.
Are Certain Games Involved in Video Game Addiction Lawsuits?
Many leading companies in the interactive gaming industry have already been named in video game addiction lawsuits, including the developers and publishers of popular titles such as:
- Fortnite (Epic Games)
- Call of Duty (Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games)
- Grand Theft Auto (Rockstar North and Rockstar Games)
- Roblox (Roblox Corporation)
- Battlefield (EA DICE and Electronic Arts)
- Rainbow Six (Ubisoft and Red Storm Entertainment)
The effort to hold video game companies accountable for the harm caused by creating and marketing addictive video games, without adequately warning consumers of the risk of gaming addiction, is evolving. Litigation may take the form of class-action lawsuits, or multiple individually filed video game addiction claims may be consolidated in the same federal court. At Gartlan Injury Law, we will help you to understand and explore all your options.
