Canadian law firm: ‘Fortnite’ is as addicting as cocaine

A Canadian law firm is considering filing a class-action lawsuit against the makes of the video game “Fortnite,” claiming that the game is as addictive as cocaine.
Montreal firm Calex Legal is representing the parents of two children, ages 10 and 15, who apparently became addicted to the popular game created by Epic Games.
The Canadian Broadcasting Company reports that the lawsuit is based on a “2015 Quebec Superior Court ruling that determined tobacco companies didn't warn their customers about the dangers of smoking.”
The firm argues that playing “Fortnite” released dopamine into the brains of vulnerable players and can cause them to become dependent on playing.
"Epic Games, when they created Fortnite, for years and years, hired psychologists — they really dug into the human brain and they really made the effort to make it as addictive as possible," Calex Legal attorney Alessandra Esposito Chartrand told CBC.
Fortnite is a free-to-play battle royal game that pits 100 players against each other. The game is available on a variety of platforms, including computers, video game consoles and mobile phones. While the game is free to download, players can purchase cosmetics for their characters using real money.
Epic Games has made millions on Fortnite since it launched two years ago.
The recent Fortnite World Cup tournament held in New York in July had a $30 million prize pool.
A spokesperson for Epic Games tells News 12 that the company does not comment on ongoing litigation. But the spokesperson says that "Fortnite" does feature a number of parental controls, "including the ability to monitor play time."