Partial Win for Sayers, But Hurdles Ahead
While Judge Baker dismissed the suit for vagueness, he partially denied Google and Roblox’s bid to kill the claims permanently under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and the First Amendment. The court said those defenses cannot be weighed until Sayers lays out his arguments with clarity.
Other gaming giants, including Activision Blizzard, remain tied to the case, though their claims are stayed pending arbitration.
The Gamer’s Allegations: A Global Addiction Crisis
Sayers, 23, said he has been gaming since age 10 and now spends five to nine hours daily playing titles such as Minecraft, Fortnite, and Call of Duty. He argued that developers employ manipulative systems—loot boxes, microtransactions, and pay-to-win models—to hook players while draining their wallets.
The gamer claims he suffers from ADHD, anxiety, and depression aggravated by his gaming habits. His lawsuit asserts that 3% of players worldwide—about 60 million people—are addicted, with youth addiction rates even higher at 8.5%.
Sayers accused developers of orchestrating a “concerted effort” to maximize profits by fostering addiction, calling video game dependency a “worldwide epidemic.”
