Video Game Addiction Lawsuits
Update 2025 – We accept Video Game Addiction cases
Video game lawsuits are filed for children addicted to gaming. Excessive video game use may lead to negative effects, such as stress, aggressive behavior, verbal memory deficiency, depression, lowered cognitive abilities, sleeping disorders, anxiety, and behavioral addiction. Further, a serious gaming addiction can severely harm a child’s social life, future job success and over all physical and mental wellness.
This is due in part to the way the manufacturers designed games to affect the brain’s reward centers. The videos keep children playing the games for as long as possible and incentivize them to increase spending money on in-game purchases.
What Are the Signs of Video Game Addiction?
According to the medical science journal Cureus, an article concludes that symptoms of video game addiction include:
Distracting preoccupation with gaming – Thinking about gaming excessively, such thoughts may be intrusive and can distract them from other important tasks.
Deception – Lying about how much time is spent on gaming vs. time spent on homework.
Interference with daily tasks –Time spent gaming takes priority over daily tasks, like eating and bathing.
Loss of interest in other activities – Gaming overtakes life and they no longer participate in activities they once enjoyed.
Withdrawing from social life – Gamers become isolated and neglect relationships with people important in real life.
Emotional and psychological changes – Gamers become agitated, unfocused, defensive or angry when cut off from gaming.
Using gaming as an easy escape – Gamers rely on gaming to escape from life, so they don’t have to deal with actual issues.
Gaming despite experiencing consequences – Gamers’ relationships end, or they drop out of school because they spend too much time gaming.
Internet Gaming Disorder
An estimated 8.5% of children between ages 8-18 suffer from internet gaming disorder (IGD) characterized by severely reduced control over gaming habits and negative impacts on personal, social, and educational responsibilities. Kids predisposed to impulse control disorders like ADD and ADHD are especially at risk of becoming severely addicted to video games.
Psychology Behind Video Games
Certain video games are designed with the help of Ph.D. behavioral psychologists and neuroscientists to keep minors and young adults playing longer and spending hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on the games. Defendants use game tactics such as reward systems, along with patented designs containing addictive features and technology to ensure its users keep playing longer and spending more. Most parents don’t understand why their children are manipulated and targeted by these multi-billion-dollar corporations.
If you or someone you know has a gaming addiction with serious health issues, contact us at 800-814-4540 or email carolyn@carolynstclair.com for a free consultation.
How Does Gaming Addiction Happen?
Gaming companies may create gaming addiction through such tactics as:
- Hiring Ph.D. behavioral psychologists and neuroscientists to develop their games
- Using predatory monetization strategies
- Collecting data to promote personalized content
- Using feedback loops to give users a reason to continue playing
What Are the Consequences of VGA?
Addicted gamers may experience any of the following consequences
- Cognitive changes
- Development impacts
- Lack of impulse control
- Forgoing sleep and food to game more
- Loss of communication and/or social skills
- Back strain
- Eye strain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Extreme weight loss or gain
- Changes in appearance
- Loss of friends
- Poor work/school performance
- Along with the above, gaming addiction can have financial consequences. Virtually any addiction can cause someone to spend too much money to satisfy an urge.
How to Treat Video Game Addiction
Effective treatments for gaming addiction may include:
- Therapy/counseling
- Medication
- Substance abuse treatment
What Can We Do?
A gaming addiction can rob a person of their friends, family, career, and even health. It may be possible to hold negligent gaming companies accountable and recover money to take care of the addicted person’s medical and psychological needs. Gaming addiction claims and lawsuits aren’t as common as other types of cases, so it is important to hire a lawyer with relevant experience when filing a gaming addiction claim. We are leading the fight against the multi-billion dollar video game industry and represent addicted children. Our team of experienced attorneys can:
- Explain whether you have a case
- Identify the liable parties
- Submit a gaming addiction claim on your behalf
- Gather documentation to prove your losses
- Negotiate for a fair settlement
Compensation may include money for the cost of medical treatment, mental health difficulties, and other strugglesthat can result from gaming addiction. Our gaming addiction law firm is working with clients to change how gaming companies Microsoft and Epic Games design their products. A successful lawsuit could force them to stop actively designing addictive games. Contact us by calling 800-814-4540 or email carolyn@carolynstclair.com for a free consultation and case review and to learn more about what our gaming addiction attorneys can do to help you and your children.
