Video Game Addiction Lawsuit Settlements

Video game addiction lawsuits are gaining momentum as families and individuals come forward to seek accountability from gaming companies for the harm caused by gaming addiction. These cases focus on holding video game manufacturers accountable for exploiting vulnerable players, particularly minors and young adults, through intentionally addictive game designs. Gaming addiction has caused significant harm, including mental health struggles, social isolation, and financial strain, as companies prioritize profit over user safety.

Our attorneys examine the rise of video game addiction lawsuits and delve into key aspects such as the alleged failure to warn and the intentional design defects that make games like Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, and Call of Duty so addictive.

While these lawsuits are still in their early stages, we focus on the heart of these cases: the significant injuries sustained by individuals and the potential settlement payouts, as financial compensation is central to resolving these civil claims. Below, we also explore updates on specific lawsuits, recent litigation trends, and eligibility criteria for filing a video game addiction lawsuit. We also look at the potential settlement value of these lawsuits if they play out as our lawyers expect.

Call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online for a free consultation. We will hold these companies accountable for prioritizing profit over child safety and wellness.

Video Game Lawsuit Updates

New Video Game Addiction Lawsuit Filed in Los Angeles Court

March 8, 2025: In a new lawsuit filed in state court in Los Angeles, California, the family of a 13-year-old child has sued Roblox Corporation, Epic Games, Microsoft, and Mojang, alleging that their video games are designed to be addictive to minors and cause severe harm. The lawsuit claims that these companies intentionally implemented manipulative game mechanics, psychological tactics, and monetization strategies to keep minors engaged for prolonged periods, leading to compulsive gaming behaviors.

The complaint states that the minor, identified as I.M., began playing video games at the age of five and developed addiction-like behaviors, including severe emotional distress, social isolation, withdrawal symptoms such as rage and anger, and an inability to regulate screen time. The lawsuit alleges that the games—Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft—lack proper parental controls, warnings, or time restrictions, despite the companies knowing about the risks of excessive gaming in minors. The family asserts strict product liability (design defect and failure to warn), negligence (design and failure to warn), fraudulent misrepresentation, and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law.

They argue that the companies used behavioral psychologists and patented technology to make their games more addictive, particularly targeting young players to increase profits through microtransactions and engagement-based monetization strategies. The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress and other harms caused by the child’s compulsive gaming and alleges that the companies prioritized profits over safety, creating a public health crisis for children.

New Video Explaining Lawsuits and Settlements

February 14, 2025: We put up a new video today explaining these lawsuits and what our lawyers think successful video game addiction settlements would look like.

New Study Links Video Game Addiction to Aggression

February 7, 2025: A recent study titled “Video Game Addiction and Aggression in Schools: A Study of Moroccan Adolescents’ Behavioral Patterns” has found a positive correlation between video game addiction and aggressive behavior among adolescents aged 15 to 19. The research indicates that teens addicted to violent video games, particularly those depicting war and combat, are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors in school settings. This study contributes to the ongoing debate about the impact of violent video games on youth behavior. The video game industry

The gaming industry insists that violent games do not cause harm, but research—including studies on video game addiction lawsuit cases—increasingly links gaming addiction to aggression, depression, and anxiety.

California Family Sues Roblox and Google in Gaming Addiction Lawsuit

January 28, 2025: In a new video game addiction lawsuit filed in Fresno County Superior Court, a California family alleges that Roblox Corporation and Google knowingly designed and distributed addictive gaming products that harmed their 11-year-old child. The complaint claims that Roblox employs patented addictive design features such as operant conditioning systems, loot boxes, and microtransactions, which exploit the vulnerabilities of young users. Filed as part of the growing wave of video game lawsuits, this new suit highlights accusations that major tech companies prioritize profits over the health of minors. The family contends that Roblox and Google failed to warn parents of the inherent risks of gaming addiction while actively marketing Roblox as an educational and creative platform. So it should come as no surprise that the child allegedly developed compulsive gaming habits, experienced withdrawal symptoms, and suffered cognitive and social harms. There is no video game class action lawsuit for personal injury claims, so these gaming addiction lawsuits are filed individually against video game companies.

Lawsuit Alleges Addiction Caused “Severe Psychological Harm”

January 7, 2025: In a new video game addiction lawsuit filed in Alameda County, California, the family of a minor, referred to as A.G., sues the giants of the gaming world—including Roblox Corporation, Epic Games, Microsoft, Mojang, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Nintendo. The suit claims these companies have shrewdly engineered their games, such as Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite, to hook young players through psychological tactics akin to digital candy designed to be irresistible (and harmful).

The lawsuit alleges these games use operant conditioning, AI-driven feedback loops, and cunning monetization schemes that exploit children’s psychological vulnerabilities, leading to compulsive use and severe psychological harm, including sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. A.G. was drawn into gaming marathons stretching over 12 hours a day. The games’ alluring design not only disrupted A.G.’s mental and emotional development but also strained the family’s finances with endless in-game purchases.

Efforts by A.G.’s family to curb this digital binge were futile against the games’ addictive allure. The lawsuit also touches, as most of these gaming addiction lawsuits do, on disturbing privacy concerns, accusing these companies of harvesting and misusing personal data to deepen user engagement and boost spending. The family is now seeking not just compensatory and punitive damages but something that would help other kids. It seeks injunctive relief to order these companies to curb these predatory practices and shield other children from the clutches of engineered addiction. It is a good idea, albeit one that is unlikely to be granted.

New Minecraft Addiction Case in California

November 20, 2024: In a new lawsuit filed in California state court, a family is suing Roblox, Microsoft, and others, alleging they exploited addictive designs in their popular video game, Minecraft. The complaint asserts that the game was deliberately engineered to target psychological vulnerabilities, particularly among minors and neurodivergent individuals, resulting in significant mental, emotional, and physical harms. The plaintiffs claim that Minecraft’s developers collaborated with behavioral experts to create features that foster compulsive gameplay. These features, combined with microtransactions and in-game notifications, allegedly exploit users’ brain chemistry to maintain prolonged engagement. The lawsuit describes this as part of a broader strategy by Microsoft and Roblox to maximize profits at the expense of minors’ well-being.

The family also alleges that the companies violated privacy laws by collecting personal information from minors without obtaining proper parental consent, as required by California and federal law. They argue that these practices, along with the game’s social features and addictive design elements, have caused significant harm to their child, including psychological distress, compulsive gaming behaviors, and related physical effects.

Seeking damages for these injuries, the lawsuit joins a wave of litigation scrutinizing the gaming industry’s impact on vulnerable populations, particularly children. The case adds to the growing number of claims against tech and gaming giants for prioritizing revenue over child safety.

Motion to Dismiss Video Game Addiction Lawsuit

September 19, 2024: Activision Blizzard, Roblox, Microsoft, Nintendo, and other major players in the video game industry filed motions on Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit alleging they intentionally designed their games to be addictive for profit. Game companies claim the First Amendment protects them—but the courts have historically ruled against corporations when their products cause harm, just like they have in tobacco and opioid cases.

The plaintiff’s video game addiction lawsuit claimed that these companies contributed to a “worldwide epidemic” of video game addiction by making games like Fortnite, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto V excessively addictive, exacerbating issues like ADHD, anxiety, and depression in players. In multiple motions to dismiss, the companies argued that video games are creative works protected by the First Amendment, which shields their right to create and distribute these games. Microsoft and Nintendo, in a joint filing, emphasized that video games are entitled to full constitutional protection as artistic expressions. They argued that the claims against them are akin to suing a bookstore for distributing third-party content, noting that they simply provide online platforms where games can be downloaded but do not create the games themselves.

Roblox made similar arguments, asserting that it offers tools for users to create games on its platform but does not develop the games directly. Roblox and other platform operators also cited Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects service providers from liability for content generated by third parties. These defendants interpret this law as the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card. In addition, the companies make the case-specific argument that the plaintiff’s claims are time-barred due to the statute of limitations. The lawsuit, filed when the plaintiff was 23, alleged injuries from gaming addiction that began at age 10, but the developers contended that the two- and four-year statutes of limitations for product liability and negligence claims had expired.

No Video Game Addiction Class Action Lawsuit for Now

June 10, 2024: What might have really jumpstarted this litigation would have been a video game addiction MDL class action lawsuit. That is not going to happen, at least not yet. The plaintiffs in five lawsuits requested the cases be centralized in the Western District of Missouri. These lawsuits, which involve video game developers, digital app stores, and other tech companies, allege that these entities created and sold games with features designed to be psychologically addictive, particularly targeting minors and young adults. There are fifteen such cases spread across ten districts.

The defendants opposed centralization and, if it proceeds, prefer the Eastern District of Arkansas or the Northern District of Georgia as the venue. After reviewing the filings and holding a hearing, the panel decided that centralizing these cases would not improve convenience or efficiency. The plaintiffs argued that the cases were similar because they involved the gaming industry’s alleged tactics to create addiction through features like feedback loops and reward systems. However, the differences among the games and defendants were too significant to justify centralization. Each lawsuit involves different games and various combinations of defendants, with minimal overlap.

The biggest problem is we only have five lawsuits to be consolidated. The plaintiffs also mentioned the potential for many more lawsuits because we all know many more are coming. But the panel correctly pointed out that the possibility of future video game lawsuits is not sufficient grounds for centralization. At some point, that dam will break, and there will be a video game addiction class action lawsuit. But that day is not today.

Addiction to Video Games

Video game addiction, also known as internet gaming disorder, significantly impairs an individual’s control over gaming, often prioritizing it over essential life activities that negatively affect self-care, relationships, and productivity at school or work. This addiction disrupts cognitive functions like time perception and decision-making and leads to social withdrawal, excessive anger, and a lack of interest in other hobbies.

The issue is worsening globally, particularly with the rise of online and cloud gaming, which provides easy access to games that often include in-game purchases, intensifying the addiction, particularly among minors and young adults. This widespread problem is primarily driven by gaming companies intentionally designing games to be addictive to increase profits through in-game transactions or “microtransactions.”

Lawsuits for Video Game Addiction

Legal actions are being taken against these companies, accusing them of employing deceptive practices prioritizing profit over user safety, especially targeting young individuals to secure a future consumer base. These practices have led to significant emotional and social issues for affected individuals, requiring extensive treatments and interventions.

The video game addiction lawsuits seek to hold video game companies liable based on a failure to warn theory. The lawsuits assert that the video game companies had a duty to warn users that their games could potentially be addictive and habit-forming, and that this addiction could be harmful.

Consequences and Injuries from Video Gaming Addiction

Video gaming addiction has been linked to a number of adverse health consequences and injuries. The harms caused by video game addiction include:

Social Isolation: individuals who become addicted to video games end up withdrawing from social contact, which can negatively impact their social skills and development
Anxiety and Depression: evidence has shown that excessive gaming is linked to higher rates of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
RSI: Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) can often occur in the hands and wrists from excessive use of controllers.
Sleep Disruption: Video game addiction can result in lack of sleep, which leads to various other health issues.
Aggression: video game addiction has been shown to cause excessive aggression (known as “gamer’s rage”) and uncontrollable anger
School and Job Issues: addiction to video games frequently results in academic and job failures.

FAQs on Video Game Addiction Lawsuits: What You Need to Know

What is the basis of the video game addiction lawsuits?

These lawsuits are not just about kids playing too many video games. That is what the defendants desperately want you to believe. But you must do what a jury will do: listen to the evidence with an open mind. This is about deliberate, calculated decisions made by the biggest names in the gaming industry—Epic Games, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, and others—to create products designed to be addictive.

Think about it this way: if a food company laced their snacks with an unregulated chemical that made customers crave more and more, they would be sued into oblivion. That is what these lawsuits argue video game companies have done. They have used behavioral psychology, gambling mechanics, and manipulative game design to turn young players into compulsive users, all while failing to provide any warning about the risks.

Gaming addiction lawsuits claim that video game addiction is not an accident—it is an intentional feature of modern games. Companies use strategies such as variable reward schedules, in-game economies, social pressure, and microtransactions to keep players hooked, just like a casino designs slot machines to keep gamblers pulling the lever.

The result? Young gamers suffering from depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, sleep disorders, and even physical injuries. Families are left helpless, watching their child spiral into a screen-induced addiction. These lawsuits seek to hold game companies accountable and force them to change these exploitative practices.

What game companies are being sued for gaming addiction?

The biggest names in gaming are under legal scrutiny for their predatory design practices. Lawsuits have been filed against:

Epic Games (Fortnite) – A game that has been heavily criticized for using psychological hooks to keep players online for hours.

Roblox Corporation (Roblox) – A game aimed at young children, fueled by microtransactions and social pressure.

Microsoft (Minecraft) – A game that is easy to sink countless hours into without realizing it.

Rockstar Games (Grand Theft Auto) – A franchise notorious for its addictive open-world mechanics and gambling-like monetization.

Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty, Overwatch) – Games that employ battle passes, progression systems, and microtransactions to trap players in endless cycles of engagement.

These companies are fully aware of what they are doing. Many even hire behavioral psychologists to refine their addiction models. Their goal is simple: maximize engagement, maximize profit, and keep players coming back—no matter the cost to mental health.

How do gaming companies intentionally make games addictive?

Let’s be clear—this is not a coincidence. Video game companies have perfected the science of addiction to ensure that players do not want to stop playing. Here is how they do it:

Variable Reward Systems (The Slot Machine Effect)
Games use randomized rewards, loot boxes, and rare item drops to keep players chasing the next dopamine hit. This is exactly how gambling works—your brain craves the unpredictable reward.

Microtransactions & In-Game Purchases
Instead of making a game where everything is earned through skill, companies add paywalls, artificial grinding, and paid shortcuts. This fuels impulsive spending, especially among young players who do not yet understand financial consequences.

Social Pressure & Multiplayer Manipulation
Many games are designed to be difficult to pause or exit. They create social dependence, where leaving a match hurts teammates or ruins progress. This keeps kids playing even when they want to stop.

Continuous Play Incentives (Daily Streaks & “Limited-Time” Events)
Games manipulate FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) by pushing daily login rewards and exclusive events that disappear if a player does not keep coming back.

Designed Frustration (Make It Just Hard Enough to Keep Playing)
Have you ever played a game that was difficult, but just barely within reach? That is on purpose. The design keeps you trying “one more time,” driving excessive playtime and engagement.

This is addiction by design—not some side effect. The entire industry is built on keeping players hooked, engaged, and spending.

How do I know if my child has a gaming addiction?

Video game addiction is not just playing a lot of video games—it is a serious disorder where gaming begins to interfere with real life. The biggest red flags include:

Losing interest in everything else – Gaming might have taken over if your child stops enjoying hobbies, sports, or social activities.
Irritability and rage when told to stop playing – Sudden outbursts of anger, frustration, or even violence when asked to turn off the game.
Declining grades or skipping schoolwork – Homework and studying take a backseat to gaming, leading to academic failure.
Lying about time spent gaming – Kids hiding their playtime or sneaking onto devices late at night is a significant warning sign.
Sleep deprivation & exhaustion – Late-night gaming marathons often lead to severe fatigue, poor concentration, and worsening mood.
Spending large amounts of money on in-game purchases – Games encourage impulsive spending, leading to financial harm and addiction-like behavior.

If you recognize these signs, it is time to take action.

What injuries and health problems are linked to video game addiction?

Gaming addiction is not just a mental problem—it affects the body too. Excessive gaming has been linked to:

Mental health disorders

Anxiety & Depression – Social isolation, disrupted sleep, and emotional instability.

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) – Recognized by the WHO, this disorder causes severe impairment in daily life.

Suicidal Thoughts & Self-Harm – Many extreme cases involve mental health crises.

Physical health conditions

Gamer’s Thumb & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Repetitive stress injuries from excessive controller/mouse use.

Seizures – Some video games trigger seizures, especially in young players.

Computer Vision Syndrome – Severe eye strain, blurred vision, and headaches from prolonged screen time.

Sleep Deprivation – Late-night gaming sessions disrupt healthy sleep cycles, leading to chronic fatigue.

These are real, documented harms—not just overblown concerns.

How much is a video game addiction lawsuit worth?

It is too early to predict exact settlements, but based on similar lawsuits, we estimate:

$100,000 – $350,000+ for severe cases

Suicide attempts, hospitalization, permanent psychological harm.

Massive financial losses due to excessive microtransactions.

$50,000 – $100,000 for moderate cases

Documented mental health struggles, loss of education opportunities.

If punitive damages come into play—meaning the courts want to punish game companies for knowing negligence—the numbers could be much higher. If the defendants are foolish enough to let one of these lawsuits go to trial before trying to work out a global settlement…that would be pretty foolish.

We explain our thought on video game addiction lawsuit payouts more fully below.

What should I do if I want to file a video game addiction lawsuit?

If you believe your child was harmed by gaming addiction, here is what to do next:

Contact our law firm immediately – We will evaluate your case for free.

Gather evidence – Medical records, gaming history, financial statements (for in-game purchases).

File a lawsuit – Hold these companies accountable for deliberately causing harm to vulnerable players.

Gaming addiction is a manufactured crisis—one that should have never happened. It is time to fight back.

📞 Call us today for a free consultation or contact us online.

The Core of the Video Game Lawsuit Allegations

The crux of these lawsuits is that these games target minors and young adults. Plaintiffs claim that each defendant deliberately designed their products to exploit vulnerable users’ inability to appreciate risks, making the products exceptionally addictive. Specific allegations include the use of psychological tactics like random rewards and social components to enhance addictiveness. So the product liability angles are defective design and failure to warn.

Plaintiffs argue that these design defects existed from the product’s conception to its release to the public. So when these products were used by kids as intended, kids fell prey to their addictive nature due to the defendants’ failure to provide adequate warnings.

It is claimed, and it is hard to deny, that each defendant could have employed alternative, less harmful designs or features to reduce the risk of addiction and other negative impacts, albeit probably slightly less profitably (while still in the many billions). These alternatives include not using addictive patents in game design, implementing robust age verification systems, adequate parental controls, and providing warnings about health effects.

As a direct consequence of these alleged design defects, children suffered physical injuries, mental harm, emotional distress, and economic damages. These injuries, as outlined, were a foreseeable result of the defendants’ actions in creating.

Who Are the Defendants in the Video Game Lawsuits?

The defendants in the video game addiction lawsuits include all of the major players in the multi-billion dollar gaming industry.

Epic Games, Inc. – Known for developing and selling the Fortnite series.
Roblox Corporation – Associated with the development and sale of the Roblox series.
Activision Blizzard, Inc. – Developers of the Call of Duty series.
Infinity Ward, Inc. – Also involved in developing and marketing the Call of Duty series.
Treyarch Corp. – Another contributor to the Call of Duty series.
Sledgehammer Games, Inc. – Part of the team behind Call of Duty.
Raven Software Corporation – Also engaged in the Call of Duty series development and distribution.
War Drum Studios LLC d/b/a Grove Street Games – Known for the Grand Theft Auto series.
Rockstar North Limited – A primary developer of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Rockstar Games, Inc. – Involved in the Grand Theft Auto series.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. – The parent company of Rockstar Games and Rockstar North, involved in Grand Theft Auto.
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC – Alleged to have contributed to the distribution and marketing of the involved games through its PlayStation platform.
Microsoft Corporation – Discussed in the context of the Xbox console and its services, which also distribute and market the implicated games.
Nintendo of America, Inc. – Similar involvement through its Nintendo Switch console and related services.
2KGames Inc. – Known for developing popular video game series such as NBA 2K and WWE 2K.
Apple Inc. – Involved through its operation of the App Store, which distributes many of the implicated games.
Another Axiom, Inc. – Known for developing games such as Gorilla Tag.
Dell Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc. (together, “Dell”) – Their devices are used for playing video games, contributing to the overall gaming experience.
Electronic Arts Inc. – Developers of various popular games including the FIFA and Madden NFL series.
Google LLC – Operates the Google Play Store, which distributes numerous games involved in the lawsuits.
Innersloth LLC – Known for developing the hit game Among Us.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta”) – Develops and supports virtual reality gaming platforms through Oculus VR.
Mojang Studios – The creators of Minecraft, a widely popular game among minors.
Rec Room Inc. – Developers of Rec Room, a social VR game.
Ubisoft Divertissements, Inc. and Ubisoft Entertainment – Known for developing games such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry.
Visual Concepts Entertainment Studios – Developers involved in the creation of sports simulation games like NBA 2K.

Why Is Call of Duty Such a Focus of the Litigation?

Call of Duty, a first-person shooter game series launched in 2003, immerses players in infantry and combined arms warfare. Promoted by Activision as a gripping, high-intensity saga featuring immersive narratives and covert operations, the game is celebrated for its ultimate online multiplayer experience. To date, there are 22 mainline versions of the game, making it the most successful video game franchise in the U.S. and the fourth best-selling globally, with over 400 million copies sold. It is advertised everywhere.

Each version of Call of Duty maintains a consistent gameplay experience but offers unique stories, weaponry, and capabilities. Developed by Activision and its subsidiaries—Raven, Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer Games—the series is renowned for its engaging single-player and multiplayer modes. Unique to Call of Duty is its addictive gameplay mechanics, such as unlock progression systems that reward players with new equipment and capabilities as they advance, enhancing replayability and engagement.

Call of Duty is a focal point of this litigation because research suggests that frequent players may experience neural desensitization to violence. This should surprise no one.

The game’s design, which includes sophisticated reward systems and feedback loops created with input from psychologists and neuroscientists, is intended to maximize player retention and spending. These elements, along with microtransactions and in-game purchases like loot boxes and battle passes, are seen as tactics to boost profits, raising real concerns about the ethical implications of such strategies.

Moreover, Call of Duty games employ patented technologies to increase their addictive qualities. The purpose? To secure a long-term revenue stream from players, especially minors, of course. Despite the known risks of addiction and other negative consequences, the developers do not fully disclose these to players. This puts profits over children. These lawsuits allege that the game’s developers engage in deceptive practices to exploit players, and they are responsible for the very foreseeable consequences.

Grand Theft Auto Is Also a Pressure Point in this Litigation

Grand Theft Auto is a well-known series of action-adventure games that immerse players in an expansive open world. Developed primarily by Rockstar North, with contributions from Grove Street Games for the latest installment, the series is published by Rockstar Games. The gameplay involves progressing through the main story by completing missions and engaging in various side activities. The character, as the game’s name suggests, is not one of the good guys.

Available on multiple platforms including PC, Mac, various gaming consoles, and mobile devices, Grand Theft Auto has captivated over 30 million players worldwide. Specifically, Grand Theft Auto V, released in 2013, stands as the second best-selling video game of all time with over 185 million copies sold, contributing to the franchise’s revenue of over $8.33 billion since its launch.

Each game in the series features a unique protagonist navigating the criminal underworld, driven by motives often tied to themes of betrayal. The games are enriched with contributions from film and music celebrities who voice characters, enhancing the narrative depth.

The developers have focused on delivering high-quality graphics, a compelling storyline, and intuitive controls. Players can indulge in countless activities within the game such as skydiving, playing darts, and watching movies, ensuring a never-ending source of entertainment. The games also feature realistic replicas of famous supercars, adding to the allure and driving player engagement and spending on in-game items like cars, guns, and clothes.

Grand Theft Auto offers various gameplay modes, including free-mode missions and competitive adversary modes where players can race across the game map. Special events often offer enhanced rewards, encouraging increased playtime. Additionally, cooperative modes allow players to team up for missions, increasing social interaction and commitment to the game. In-game purchases enable players to acquire luxury items and upgrades, further immersing them in the virtual world.

None of this is awful per se. But the game has intentionally addictive qualities and the developers knew or had reason to know of the potential negative impact on players’ mental and physical health.

The developers are criticized in these lawsuits for not adequately informing players or parents about the game’s addictive nature and its potential harms, focusing instead on maximizing profit through continual engagement and spending within the game.

Potential Settlement Value of Video Game Addiction Lawsuits

Estimating the potential settlement amounts in video game addiction lawsuits is hard, especially in the early stages of litigation. These cases are unique, and there are few comparable lawsuits to reference when projecting potential payouts. The closest comparable litigation is the social media addiction lawsuits, that we are also involved in, and those cases are also early in the litigation process and there have been no settlement payouts yet. The difficulty is further compounded by the wide range of variables and unknowns that can influence the outcome. With those caveats in mind, by focusing on the nature of the alleged injuries and comparing settlements in similar cases, our lawyers can provide general settlement payout estimates of what plaintiffs might expect if this litigation is as successful as we and many other lawyers hope and expect.

Video game addiction lawsuits center on injuries tied to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, social isolation, sleep deprivation, and anger. The settlement compensation of these cases will likely vary depending on the severity of the impact on the plaintiff’s life. High-value settlements will likely involve plaintiffs who experienced life-altering consequences, such as severe depression or anxiety that led to dropping out of school, job loss, or even suicide. These cases may result in payouts of $100,000 to $350,000 or more, depending on the specific circumstances. Extraordinary cases involving permanent injuries or death could push settlement amounts even higher.

On the other hand, cases involving milder disruptions, where gaming addiction caused fewer tangible consequences, may result in lower settlement payouts. These cases might fall within the range of $25,000 to $90,000. While these lawsuits are still evolving, it’s clear that the settlement amounts will depend on the extent to which gaming addiction disrupted or harmed the plaintiff’s mental and emotional well-being. As this litigation develops, the legal focus will remain on how gaming companies may have contributed to these harms through their practices, which could lead to the risk of punitive damages, which will drive compensation payouts.

Is There a Video Game Addiction Class Action Lawsuit for Injury Victims?

Efforts to centralize video game lawsuits into a single multidistrict litigation class action lawsuit failed. Last year, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation denied a motion to consolidate 15 cases against major gaming companies, including Roblox Corporation, Epic Games, Microsoft, and Google, into an MDL gaming addiction class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs had sought to centralize these cases in the Western District of Missouri, arguing that the lawsuits shared common allegations of addictive game designs and deceptive marketing tactics. But the MDL panel concluded that the differences among the games and defendants outweighed the potential benefits of consolidation.

But was this really a loss for plaintiffs? Our lawyers are glad there is no class action lawsuit for game addiction injury lawsuits. Why? An MDL class action would be a double-edged sword. MDLs are designed to streamline pretrial proceedings when cases share common issues, but they often work in favor of corporate defendants. This is because MDLs risk turning plaintiffs into statistics. Individual stories get buried in the sheer volume of cases and getting a case to trial in an MDL can take forever.

By rejecting the MDL, plaintiffs retain access to state courts, which often apply more favorable interpretations of consumer protection laws. For example, California courts, where many video game lawsuits are filed, tend to favor plaintiffs in cases involving deceptive marketing. The plaintiffs in these cases allege that gaming companies failed to warn users about the addictive nature of their games and exploited minors through manipulative design features like loot boxes, microtransactions, and psychological feedback loops and those arguments might sell better to state court judges.

Decentralization also encourages quicker settlements. Companies like Sony or Microsoft, already facing reputational damage, may find it more efficient to resolve cases rather than risk prolonged litigation in numerous courts. For plaintiffs, this could mean faster resolution and compensation..

Will this strategy succeed? Time will tell. But one thing is sure: there is a ton of pressure on defendants in video game lawsuits right now. And plaintiffs’ lawyers are focused where they should be—seeking justice and fair compensation for the harm done.

Who is Eligible to File a Video Game Addiction Lawsuit?

Our firm currently accepts new video game addiction lawsuits, but we have some specific criteria for eligible plaintiffs. Our eligibility criteria for these cases is as follows:

Plaintiff (or victim) must be 24-years-old or younger
Plaintiff played video games for at least 2 hours per day for at least 5 weeks (70 hours over 5 weeks)
Plaintiff has been medically diagnosed with any of the following conditions: gamer’s rage, depression, anxiety, seizures, orthopedic injuries.
Plaintiff has received treatment for gaming addiction or disorders related to game addiction.

Contact Us About Video Game Addiction Lawsuits

Our firm is seeking video game addiction lawsuits across the country. If you have suffered physical or mental harm as a result of video game addiction, call us today for a free case evaluation. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.