The well-known eSports game Fortnite has been the subject of a lawsuit filed by a group of Canadian parents alleging that the game has caused their children to stop eating, sleeping, and bathing.
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Parent group has also filed a lawsuit against Fortnite's developer, Epic Games, according to a BBC report. A Canadian judge has approved the lawsuit. A 2018 World Health Organization report on video game addiction is mentioned in the lawsuit, according to the court documents reviewed by the publication.
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Epic Games, the company that developed Fortnite and is also the subject of numerous lawsuits against Apple and other businesses regarding the infamous 30% app store commission, is currently being accused of fostering a video game addiction in children.
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One of the kids has played Fortnite for more than 7,700 hours in less than two years, according to the report, and the parents claim that the game is extremely addictive.
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The report went on to say that V Bucks, the game's own currency, has brought in $9 billion worldwide from in-game purchases. Over 350 million people play the well-known mobile, PC, and console online video game.
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Epic Games has defended its claim that "industry-leading parental controls that empower parents to supervise their child's digital experience," according to a BBC report.
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"Parents can receive playtime reports that track the amount of time their child plays every week and require parental consent before purchasing," Epic Games added.
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The World Health Organization recently defined gaming addiction as a pattern of gaming behavior in which users have impaired control over gaming and place gaming above other activities. "gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences," according to the definition.
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According to studies, only a small percentage of gamers develop gaming addiction. For addiction to be diagnosed, behavior patterns must have been evident for at least a year and include significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, and occupational functioning, among other important areas.