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The Fortnite shooter is so popular that any gamer can easily name the genre of this game, even if they have never tried their hand at it. With countless features, game modes, events and experiences all in one place, Fortnite has something for everyone. Perhaps that is why it is so popular and, according to the class action lawsuit, is so “addictive”.
At Epic Games sued for using “experts” to make Fortnite so addictive that players stay in the game for as long as possible. The filing also claims that the game does not properly explain how addictive or harmful playing Fortnite can be in the long run. The class action lawsuit was originally filed in 2019 and was reportedly sanctioned by Quebec Superior Court Judge Sylvain Lussier just this Wednesday.
The impact of video game addiction, including Fortnite, on children’s brains is particularly devastating in the sense that when they are constantly tethered to their PCs, they develop severe deficiencies in their ability to integrate the full range of [человеческих] emotions,” the lawsuit says. “Specialists report gaps in vocabulary, as well as gaps in social integration and academic delays. Indeed, prolonged use of electronic devices is recognized to cause significant changes in the prefrontal cortex of the human brain, changes that particularly affect the young, developing brain.
The lawsuit also contained a reference to the World Health Organization recognizing “gaming disorder” as a disease, along with other articles comparing Fortnite to heroin.
“We have industry-leading parental controls that put parents in control of their child’s digital experience,” an Epic spokesperson said in a statement to PC Gamer. “Parents can get playtime reports that track the amount of time their child plays each week and ask for parental permission before making purchases so they can make decisions that are right for their family. We also recently added a limit on daily spending by default for players under 13. We plan to fight this in court. This recent decision only allows the case to proceed. We believe the evidence will show that this case is unfounded.”