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[BlackThornn]

A lawsuit to be filed against Sony Online may encourage online game companies to label their games as addictive.

Many game companies proudly claim that their games are "addictive," and a lawsuit to be filed against Sony Online may cause game companies to begin placing labels on games, warning consumers of just that.

According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , Miami lawyer Jack Thompson plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of Elizabeth Woolley, whose 21-year-old son Shawn killed himself last November. According to Woolley, Shawn had been playing Everquest, Sony Online's popular online role-playing game, prior to his death. Though her son had been diagnosed with depression and a schizoid personality disorder, Woolley blames the addictive nature of the game for her son's death. The lawsuit will not specifically seek to require game companies to place warning labels on games, but Thompson believes that a large verdict may cause companies to label their games out of fiscal self-interest.

Sony Online representatives declined to comment on the situation.

Taken from Gamespot.com

What.. the hell. I feel sorry for this woman's loss, but she desperately needs to just shut up. It's not Sony's fault her son had a weak personality. And that shark of a lawyer, IMO, just needs to be eliminated.

[Sleazy P Martini]

I hate it when parents can't accept that their child has any faults and places blame on games and other media when something goes wrong.

[Reid]

I don't believe you can hold a form of entertainment liable as a murderer.



Everyone's too eager to point fingers at things now a days. Is it possible that the kid grew up in a crummy household?

[kupoartist]

ah well... I think we had a few days back there were there wasn't one of these lawsuits...

Don't expect it too go anywhere though... If DOOM isn't responsible for weirdos shooting innocent school kids, then Everquest isn't responsable for the actions of someone already majorly depressed...

[JC Denton]

i agree, she is just wating her money.... but some games can be addictive, but that is a good thing in many places. If she wants to blame anyone she should blame herself for not seeing her childs depression. Despite this i have to admit it is easy to say these things from an outside view but if your in the middle of it, things appear different.

[Macceh^]

ive heard similar items before its a disgrace really if your child is depressed it could be related to school home life not gaming.

[Mercury Shadow]

Holy crap, I thought that was a joke at first...

but don't get mad at the lawyer, he's just trying to make some $$$. And don't be mad at the lady, she's obviously depressed and these warning labels will never happen...

[Sword 4 Hire]

A label, aren't there ratings on the front of games. Obviously if their parents are letting these kids play these games with the "M" rating then they're to blame, not Sony.

[merylsilverburg]

Goddammit. I hate reading or hearing about these kinds of things. Pisses the hell outta me. The damn woman shouldn't be blaming Sony for the loss of her depressed son. The game probably had nothing to do with his depression, so, really BlackThornn, she really needs to shut the hell up. I also don't blame the lawyer because he's trying to make money, but the woman is completely outta her mind.

[BowevelJoe]

ahh Meryl *hands ice tea* thats just the way people are these days, when something goes bad theyre going to get their moneys worth, i mean she could have pinned it onto a movie her son watched 10 years ago, When it alll starrrrted..bah, some people suck...

[007_JamesBond]

yeah the kids mom should have then taken the game away and seeked help for her son, not blame the game

[Hadoken]

Here is a quick comic you guys should see.

Sure, a game can always be addicting. but does being addicted to a game mean that your gonna go out and do something stupid? I dont think so!
This is one of the reasons I hate that damned parents board.
They go around saying things like "durr, this game is too violent.", "this game has too much blood", "this game made my kid do something stupid."
which is not the games fault, but the parents fault. they let TV and games raise their children instead of doing it themselves. and when something goes wrong, they jump up and blame games on it. its not just the parents either, its also the people who wouldnt think twice about playing a game unless it insulted them in some kind of way.
games being addicting and games being too violent are two different things. if the game is too violent, then parents shouldnt let their kids play it.
I believe age doesnt measure maturity. I have a newphew who`s pretty young, but he still plays games with ratings he shouldnt be playing. but he can do it because he is mature enough so his parents know he wont play it and then do something stupid.
I just dont like the parents board saying things about games and then having the developers tone them down, change them, or up to the point of not having them released at all.
they can whine all they want, just dont have that crap affect the way my games are made.

[Infernal Mass]

it seems that lady is just wanting someone to literally pay for her loss.she most deffinatley should've saw the signs beforehand.it's a sad story though.

[007_JamesBond]

interesting Hadoken, fits the situation

[merylsilverburg]

Ah, yes, you can always depend on the Penny Arcade to poke fun at the stupid things involved with video games. Good for them to make a strip on something like that. It's so true.....parents should really teach their child better instead of blaming it on the games.

[Spirit]

people always enjoy blaming others >.<

[Andi]

Originally posted by Sleazy P Martini
I hate it when parents can't accept that their child has any faults and places blame on games and other media when something goes wrong.

If SONY did put addiction label's on the good games then @ least we would know what to buy / without a DOUBT