Recently, gamers have noticed a peculiar lawsuit in China. The father of a gamer, who suffers from gaming addiction, has sued several Chinese gaming companies. He is demanding symbolic compensation of 10 yuan (about 1.5 US dollars). His goal is not money; he is driven by a different motive – he wants to draw attention to the problem of gaming addiction and force companies to combat it.
Shandian News reports that the father, Qin, has sued well-known companies such as Tencent, NetEase, 37 Interactive Entertainment, and miHoYo (HoYoverse).
Qin said that his son has been fond of video games for several years, often staying up until 3-4 AM on weekends. Data from one gaming platform showed that Qin Jr. spent about 1868 hours in the game since March 2024, meaning he played for an average of more than two hours a day.
Qin explained that he bought his son a mobile phone to always stay in touch with him, as he himself works in another city. According to the rules, minors are allowed to play only from 8 to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. However, Qin Jr. bypassed the system by using his adult sister's data for registration.
The father holds gaming companies responsible for failing to fulfill their obligations to verify players' identities. Qin said he hopes the court can force companies to fulfill their duties to prevent gaming addiction:
I hope that the trial will be held in public to shed light on the shortcomings in the management of this industry. I will do everything in my power to protect my son's rights. Games have had a devastating impact on the children of this generation. If I don't stand up for my child's rights, I don't deserve to be called a parent.