"Sony Seizure" Eclipses "Wii Elbow"

Now that it's been a few months since the "Wii Elbow" phenomenon and "Wii Wee" tragedy, it's time Sony took some heat for the whacky decisions of its customers.  While Nintendo was forced to respond with a replacement wrist strap for its Wiimote after the little white handheld found its way into everything from HDTVs to cheekbones, Sony will face its own legal mess after recent word that an infant suffered a seizure playing the PlayStation 2's Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly.

 

According to reports, a New York mother is incensed with both Sony and the game's developer, VU Games.  Both are on the wrong end of the lawsuit, along with Sierra Entertainment and unknown (and unsuccessful) rental outlet, Hiawatha Video.  The accused are being labeled as "negligent, careless, and reckless with regard to the design and manufacture" of Enter the Dragonfly. 

 

The suit argues that it was this sloppy development and publishing practice which led to long-term injuries to the child that will reportedly limit him "in all activities of daily living".  The prosecution will seek compensation for expected lifetime medical expenses.

 

Unfortunately, it may not be that ridiculous of an allegation.  Game reviewers labeled Spyro's 2002 PS2 platformer as one marred by a choppy frame rate and buggy gameplay, both possible contributors to an epileptic episode.

 

However, the game – along with most shipped since the commercialization of home consoles in the 1980s – does carry a warning on the inside front cover of its instruction guide.

 

Regardless of the case's outcome, there's no doubt that the fast rise of the video game industry will mean the subsequent growth of associated litigation.

1 comments
Posted by WiiFanboy on March 30,2007 at 11:49 AM

MY F$%#en BALLS!!!

One, this will never fly, and two, if she knows her child suffers from seizures due to flashy screens, WTF is that kid playing video games in the first place. Dumb-Ass Amercians being lawsuit hungry again.

I should file a lawsuit on all console manufacturers. "The D-pad has caused me to develop carpel tunnel and has ruined my designing career for life. Why couldn't all controllers just be joystick."  *shakes head*