Blizzard is now at the center of a potential class action lawsuit alleging that it allows minors to play the game. Hearthstone. Microtransactions have sparked heated debate for many, many years. Sports titles often bear the brunt of this backlash, as they allow players to buy packs that give them better players and different items, which can lead to unfair advantages if they have a lot of money to spend. It’s also extremely frustrating that someone can spend $20 and not have anything they consider worthwhile. While many non-sports games have moved away from loot boxes and packs and embraced the battle pass model, it’s something that still exists in other games.
blizzard Card Game, Hearthstone, is very popular and allows players to purchase packs. Now, Nathan Harris of Arizona has filed a proposed class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California in Orange County. Harris filed the lawsuit on behalf of his son, alleging that Blizzard uses “unlawful, deceptive, and misleading” tactics in Hearthstone. Harris and his attorneys claim that Blizzard allows minors to “pay real-world currency to gamble and win in-game items.” Harris and his attorneys also say the packs don’t provide enough information about what players can receive, causing players to get less valuable cards or cards they already have, enticing them to shell out more money for better cards. The lawsuit argues that under California Family Code, minors should be allowed to ‘refuse contracts’, i.e. get a refund. Blizzard has disputed all of the claims in the proposed class action lawsuit and has argued that damages could exceed $5 million.
As of now, it’s unclear how much further this will go. It’s one of many lawsuits that Activision Blizzard is trying to balance, as Microsoft also tries to complete its acquisition of the company. Given the controversies that have arisen with microtransactions in the past, it’s hard to predict where this might go, but lawmakers and politicians have tried to crack down on the problem in the past.
What do you think about microtransactions? Let me know in the comments below or contact me at Twitter @Cade_Under.
[H/T Kotaku]
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