A strung-out gaming junkie addicted to playing Lineage II is suing the publisher for allegedly rendering him “unable to function independently in usual daily activities.”
According to a copy of the lawsuit which was obtained by Wired, Craig Smallwood can no longer get up, get dressed, bathe (ugh!) or communicate coherently with family and friends.
As such, he is demanding that NCsoft of South Korea pay unspecified monetary damages because of the “addictive nature” of the game.
Smallwood – who supposedly played Lineage II for 20,000 hours between 2004 and 2009 – also claims he wouldn’t have tried the MMORPG if there would have been a warning of some kind.
“NCsoft acted negligently in failing to warn or instruct or adequately warn or instruct plaintiff and other players of Lineage II of its dangerous and defective characteristics, and of the safe and proper method of using the game,” he alleged.
Surprisingly, US District Judge Alan Kay has adamantly refused to dismiss parts of Smallwood’s complaint.
“In light of plaintiff’s allegations, the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence,” ruled Kay.
