![]() The three children developed severe addictions to the popular game, spending almost all of their free time in the virtual world and in some cases not eating, showering, or socializing, the lawsuit alleged. The Quebec judge concluded that there is "no certainty" to the parents' allegations of a deliberately addictive game, but wrote that it "does not preclude the possibility that the game is in fact addictive and that its creator and distributor are presumed to know this," the judge wrote in the 24-page ruling. One of the kids, identified as JO.Z in the document, had played more than 7,781 hours of the game in less than two years, sometimes playing until 3 a.m., the lawsuit claimed.Īnother child allegedly played the game for a cumulative 59,954 minutes, the equivalent of 42 full days of playing. To fuel their addiction, the kids mentioned in the class-action suit spent hundreds of dollars - sometimes without their parents' knowledge - on characters and dances in the game, according to the judgment on the request for authorization to bring the class-action suit against Epic Games. It is free to play, but users can purchase in-game currency, called "V-Bucks," using real-world money. The battle royale style of game sees 100 players battle it out on an island until the last one is standing. ![]() KIDS ALLEGEDLY SPENT HUNDREDS ON GAME, DISASSOCIATED FROM FAMILY In 2020, the company said it had amassed more than 350 million players worldwide and during April of that year, players spent more than 3.2 billion hours playing the game.įortnite has also attracted celebrities to its virtual world in recent years, including electronic music producers Diplo and deadmau5. Since its release in September 2017, the Fortnite game has risen in popularity, particularly during the pandemic. None of the allegations in the class-action lawsuit have been proven in court. The video game manufacturer could be liable, according to the judge, who referred to safety defect provisions of Quebec's Civil Code to support his finding. They are all seeking damages from the company that will be determined at a later date. Three parents from Quebec sued Epic Games, which is based in the U.S., alleging that the game's creators deliberately designed the Battle Royale iteration of Fortnite to be "highly addictive" and that Fortnite caused their minor children to suffer psychological, physical, and financial harm. Quebec Superior Court Justice Sylvain Lussier authorized the class-action suit on Wednesday. and its Canadian subsidiary, the lawyers representing the plaintiffs said they believed this case was a first in Quebec. When the original application was filed in 2019 against Epic Games Inc. A Quebec judge has authorized a class-action lawsuit against the maker of the popular online video game, Fortnite, after parents of three children who played it argued it was too "addictive."
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