Montreal law firm Calex Légal wants to sue the makers of popular online video game Fortnite, saying the game causes dependence in players, CBC reports. The class-action suit, if authorized, would argue that Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, intentionally designed the game to be addictive.
The suit is based on two cases of children, 10 and 15, who are addicted to playing Fortnite. Calex Légal claims the game’s effect on the brain is similar to that of cocaine because it triggers the release of dopamine in young people’s brains.
They claim the company invested specifically in research and development aimed at making Fortnite as addictive as possible. “They [Epic Games] hired psychologists […] to make it as addictive as possible,” the suit claims.
Micro-Transactions
Many parents are already familiar with the basis of Fortnite. The 100-player “Fortnite Battle Royale,” which is free to play, has 125 million players around the world. Many of them are young, and many of their parents are concerned about the risks associated with this game.
Fortnite Battle Royale is supported by micro-transactions; players are encouraged to purchase upgrades in-game to accelerate their progress. There have even been reports of kids stealing their parents’ credit cards to fund their playing…