(then again, the last time the guy on the left was under oath, he clammed up)
GameSpot.com published a report earlier today concerning aggrieved World Of Warcraft player Erik Estavillo’ $1 million civil suit against the wildly popular multi-player game’s publisher, Activision. While Estavillo is claiming WoW charges onerous fees and engages in “sneaky and deceitful practices”, it’s the portion of the suit in which Activision is accused of fostering “a harmful virtual environment” that prove most entertaining.
The suit references the 2001 suicide of an EverQuest player, attributing it to a sense of alienation related to the game and mental health problems. The suit goes on to say the plaintiff has suffered from similar problems, including major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and Crohn’s disease, and he “doesn’t want to end up like [the EverQuest player] did as he relies on video games heavily for the little ongoing happiness he can achieve in this life, via the gaming medium.”
In addition to the suit, the plaintiff also wants a pair of celebrities to attest to the effects of alienation. The gamer is subpoenaing Depeche Mode’s Martin Lee Gore “since he himself has been known to be sad, lonely, and alienated, as can be seen in the songs he writes.” He is also calling Winona Ryder to testify, saying the actress’ appreciation for ‘Catcher in the Rye’ will make her a relevant witness “to how alienation in the book can tie to alienation in real live [sic]/video games such as World of Warcraft.”