Lawyer Sues Over "Seizure Triggers" in Videogames

[SinisterDeath]

Sad part is?
This guys lawsuite is more valid then Mr. Thompsons previous ones!

This might be a little friviolous, but at least this one actually has a REAL cause and effect!
Video game = cause, Effect = Seizure, no getting around that, shit happens. They got warnings. /end case.

Unlike thompsons.
"playing a GTA turns you into a rapist mudering bastard!"

 

[Grounogeos]

Obviously this guy doesn't have any idea how seizures can start. You could have a seizure from nearly anything: allergies, drugs, alcohol, head injuries, disorders, not taking your meds regularly, not getting enough fucking SLEEP... do I really need to go on?

And if memory serves they've had the seizure warnings since around the time the Gamecube came out, so they've known about the risk. As for why they "refuse to do anything", it's because the only way to display a video game is to use a TV, which has the lights and shit that can cause a seizure; so why is he only attacking video games instead of TVs and other things we play them on?

Honestly, how the hell did this guy graduate from high school, let alone law school?

 

[stonethered]

Looks to me like a lawyer wants to make a name for himself by tackling a major industry.
Jerk, we should boycott him. show him how it feels to be attacked.

 

[VonVirgo]

First off, this has to be said: He couldn't get a seizure from a good game at least?

Now on a professional, and mature note: Like everyone else here has said, this is why a good portion of all the games that have been released now have a warning label, both in the game's manual and the game's itself. Sorry your kid got a seizure and all; however, next time you've got to keep an eye on him, and read the warning labels on the back of the damn game box for once.

 

[scotth266]

...I'm not quite sure how to feel about this, honestly. On one hand, we don't need more lawyers running around suing video game companies for silly reasons, but this lawyer's reason seems somewhat legit.

Not really. All videogames carry warning labels about seizures: either on the box, in the manual, or in the game itself. Arcade games in particular carry seizure warnings EVERYWHERE.

Also, one has to wonder: isn't it quite obvious that a person susceptible to seizures, a condition which (to my limited knowledge) can be triggered by flashing lights, would have issues playing a VIDEOGAME, a medium FILLED with flashing lights?

 

[Brad Shepard]

Ok, vid games may have a lot of flashing lights, but it is clear in the game mauals and on the back of the boxes that say, dont play if you have eplepcie... case and point.

 

[Ridonculous_Ninja]

Health Warning
For your health, be sure to take a break of about 15 minutes during every hour of play. Avoid playing when tired of suffering from lack of sleep. Always play in a well-lit room, sitting as far from the screen as the cord will allow. Some people experience epileptic seizures when viewing flashing lights or patterns in our daily environment. These people may experience seizures while watching TV pictures or playing video games. Even players who have never had any seizures may nonetheless have an undetected epileptic condition. Consult your doctor before playing video games if you have an epileptic condition or immediately should you experience any of the following symptoms during play: dizziness, altered vision, muscle twitching, other involuntary movements , loss of awareness of your surroundings, mental confusion, and / or convulsions.


Copied word for word from the inside cover of one of my game manuals.
If you do not read the warning then, to put it simply, fuck you.
Be like trying to sue a company that clearly warns you "Do not operate heavy machinery under the influence of this item." when your dumb ass falls asleep and kills someone.

Nobody reads the manual! How could you not know that?

Geez!

 

[The_Echo]

I can't even begin to tell you how big of a facepalm I'm making.

 

[DracoSuave]

Seizure warnings have been included with the SNES since the beginning.

As well, newer DS games are including it -in the game itself-.

Seriously.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

There's a big warning at the beginning of almost every game and it's in like every manual that says that it might cause seizures and to use caution. That's like slamming a hammer onto your hand and then suing the hammer manufacturer because it is known that hammers can cause pain if slammed onto your hand and yet the manufacturers haven't done anything to stop this. Yes, video games can cause seizures but so can so many other things.

 

[coldshadow]

there is usualy a warning at the begining of most of these games that say may cause seizures...

 

[crono738]

...I'm not quite sure how to feel about this, honestly. On one hand, we don't need more lawyers running around suing video game companies for silly reasons, but this lawyer's reason seems somewhat legit.

More investigation may be required if we're going to find out whether this man's our friend or foe, and whether or not these seizures are common enough to reinforce his case.

The catch is, most games today do carry a siezure warning, if he's targeting titles from 7 years ago? I don't remember, honestly, if they had warnings back then.

I'm inclined to think that these incidents aren't really that common, but we'll find out soon enough, I guess.

They had warnings back then.

Edit. I think we found Jack Thompson's replacement.

 

[hotacidbath]

Aren't the people who get seizures from games predisposed to seizures already? Games aren't giving people epilepsy, it's people with epilepsy not being careful about what triggers them. I have a friend with epilepsy who had a seizure in the middle of a supermarket, should she try and sue broccoli over it? The whole thing is moot anyway since video games are covered in seizure warnings. Nice try crazy lawyers with nothing better to do.

 

[Cpu46]

does anyone else think its odd that a Personal Injury firm is called Kenny & Kenny.
It made me think of South Park Kenny

I would have tried to put something constructive in this thread but it seems like everythings been said

 

[axia777]

To the parents of the kid who is 4 years old and had the seizures - FUCK YOU AND YOUR LAWYER. Read the damned warnings on the games package, in the games manual, and most likely when the damned game starts up. You are all a bunch of lazy assed money grubbing whores and need to die because you are leeches upon the ass of productive society. The makers of all video games have been giving ample warnings to any and all people who have light triggered seizures. If you did not know or educate yourselves on this matter IT IS YOUR FUCKING FAULT. The warnings are going to make your case a steaming pile of shit. Just like your dumb assed brains.

 

[FoolKiller]

I just wonder. Did this kid ever have a seizure before? If the kid did (heheh... rhymes), then shouldn't they also be suing whatever set off the previous seizure(s)?

Also, I have gotten dizzy from a variety of FPSs. As such, I either take a break or DON'T play them anymore.

 

[AppleaDay]

Yeah so it's the video game industries "dirty secret"? When was the last time any of you played a game where it didn't warn you somewhere about the possibility of seizures.

 

[McNinja]

This is just stupid. All games carry a seizure warning, and have since I started gaming back in 2001. Games have ALWAYS carried seizure warnings to prevent such lawsuits (except for the lawsuit that made game developers/publishers warn people that they might have a seizure).

 

[Booze Zombie]

Genius!

"Yes, those game companies should fix those flashing lights and moving images that cause seizures!"

"How do they do that?"

"Radio games!"

"Burn in hell."

 

[DJPirtu]

Here's a question for you.

Setting aside wether or not you think this lawsuit has any merit to it, let's assume for a moment that the video game industry would be enforced to limit seizure triggering flash patterns.

Just how exactly can this be done in a highly interactive media, like video games are?
Just about everything that get displayed in the screen is one way or another influenced by the player actions. How does one ensure that none of those virtualy infinite user input conbinations produces an effect that might be seizure triggering? Would this be possible in any way, shape or form?

Edit: Well, after giving it a bit of a tought, I guess the most feaseble option is to adobt the techniques already used by the TV and movie industry and apply them to a recordings of a few normal playthroughs. It's defenately not a guaranteed method, but the question is, is it enough for them to say "You should not experience any ill effects during a normal play through."?