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NCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive
reddit_url='http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/'; reddit_target='gaming' Tweet var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/NCsoft_sued_for_making_Lineage_II_too_addicting'; Can a video game publisher be successfully sued for releasing a game that makes players want to play it compulsively? That's the question of the hour in the USA, as Lineage II player Craig Smallwood levied a $3 million negligence suit against NCsoft for making the game too addictive. Smallwood found himself playing the MMO for over 20,000 hours in the last five years, to the point where he is unable to function normally in real life -- and he claims it's NCsoft's fault for not warning him in advance. Smallwood's gameplay averaged around 11 hours per day during that period. Surprisingly, a federal judge has allowed the suit to proceed against the South Korean publisher, stating that "the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence." NCsoft has appealed and asked the judge to dismiss the case. The situation gets more interesting when you consider that Smallwood had his Lineage II accounts banned for alleged grey market RMT activity, although he claims that was a ploy by NCsoft to force players like himself to move over to Aion. Video game addiction is no new issue, to be sure, but it's interesting that this case seeks to shift the blame from the player to the game company itself. This raises a whole host of new questions. Should publishers be required to slap their products with warning labels? Is there no personal responsibility when it comes to playing MMORPGs? We will have to wait and see if Smallwood's suit succeeds, and what, if any, fallout may occur from the attempt.
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraaack
Those of us around in the EverQuest days will recognize the "crack"ification of a game's name that can be addicting beyond a healthy level. Not to imply that any amount of crack is healthy. Remember, Turpster says "Don't do drugs!"But Warcraft? That's healthy. I mean, I still shower every day. And unlike the Orc protagonist in today's video I don't go down and get a big gulp, so I'm better than him.The video is short and to the point, and Yumfries does a good job animating the characters throughout. The audio cuts are a little rough at points, but that can be overlooked rather easily.Worth a chuckle in my book.
Golden Dragon's Ruyan e-cigarettes deliver nicotine sans toxins
While overseas firms like Thanko and SolidAlliance are kicking out random bits of fun that surely generate a solid profit, China's Golden Dragon has probably found the real road to riches with its toy. The brilliant Ruyan e-cigarette purportedly "feels like a cigarette and looks like a cigarette, but it isn't bad for your health." The battery-powered device is used exactly like a typical, harmful cigarette, but rather than delivering tar and toxins to the lungs along with nicotine, the poisons are stripped away and doses of nicotine are still provided. Interestingly, the company claims that its product is simply the best way to kick the habit, but if these things actually do what they claim, it honestly seems like a marvelous ploy to get folks to shift their funding from tobacco-based cigarettes to the Ruyan. The gizmos are already available in China, Israel, Turkey, and a number of European countries for around $208 apiece, and while profits have "more than doubled" in just a year's time already, bringing this thing to the US would certainly provide a few early retirements.[Via TheRawFeed]
