JEFFERSON CITY — Several companies that create video games are being sued in a federal class action lawsuit alleging they fueled an addiction to video games with things like "micro-transactions."
A 24-year-old woman, Harper Glasscock, has filed the lawsuit against several gaming giants, including Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Corporation, and others, alleging the insidious manipulation of game design to foster addiction, particularly among minors and young adults.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri Central Division, alleges the intentional exploitation of psychological vulnerabilities and predatory monetization tactics, all at the expense of consumers' well-being, according to the complaint filed in federal court.
Glasscock's complaint details two decades of gaming, beginning with her introduction to video games at the age of four.
Over the years, she claims, the proliferation of online gaming and micro transactions has fueled an epidemic of addiction, amplifying the detrimental impact on individuals' lives, according to the suit.
Central to Glasscock's argument is the assertion that gaming companies deliberately engineer their products to be addictive, leveraging feedback loops, reward systems and patented technologies developed with insights from behavioral psychologists and neuroscientists.
These features, the plaintiff argues, serve to prolong user engagement and encourage spending within games, prioritizing profit over user safety.
The plaintiff highlights the deceptive tactics employed by these companies, including drip pricing and dark patterns, which aim to manipulate consumer behavior and extract maximum revenue, according to the suit.
Specific monetization strategies such as loot boxes and pay-to-win models are singled out for their exploitation of players' willingness to spend money within the gaming environment.
“Defendants make their games addictive, in part, by encouraging long-term, extended game play despite knowledge that such extended play causes physical harm to the human brain – and particularly to a minor’s developing brain,” the complaint states. “Defendants’ motive in developing, designing, manufacturing, publishing, and selling addictive video game products is their own bottom line.”
Glasscock alleges brain damage, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues as direct outcomes of video game addiction, not only for herself but for countless others ensnared by the allure of digital entertainment, the complaint states.
“By making their games addictive, Defendants are able to maximize profits after the original purchase or free download,” the complaint states. “Within their games, Defendants offer significant opportunity to purchase downloadable game products or in-game transactions, known as ‘microtransactions,’ to allegedly give players an advantage in the game.”
The plaintiff calls for accountability, holding the defendants responsible for their deliberate misconduct and exploitation of vulnerable populations for financial gain.
“Predatory monetization schemes in video games are essentially purchasing systems within the games that disguise or withhold the long-term cost of an activity until players are already committed, both psychologically and financially,” the complaint states.
Glasscock is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Tyler W. Hudson, Eric D. Barton, Melody R. Dickson, Tina Bullock, Danielle Ward Mason, Breean Walas, and Steven B. Rotman.
The plaintiff's attorneys declined to comment on the case. The defendants did not respond to requests for comment.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri Central Division case number: 2:24-cv-4036