Author Topic: Nintendo sued over epileptic seizures (Read 10495 times)

KDR_11k · « **on:** March 08, 2004, 06:22:12 AM »

Article

A mother is blaming Nintendo for epileptic seizures her child suffered while playing video games. She demands big warnings on the box, in the manual and on the screen while playing and some more insane stuff.

If you ask me, Nintendo should reply with "WTF? RTFM, N00B!" or at least add a big, flashing warning to the startup screens of their games "Warning!! May cause epilepsy!!" (flashing black and white so everybody sees it

).

The Omen · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2004, 06:27:19 AM »

Maybe the mother should actually read the booklet that comes with every game and system. They address this issue.

That article may give me a seizure...of anger

nitsu niflheim · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2004, 07:26:30 AM »

yep, Nintendo has already covered the bases, and their ass with the warning in the booklet. This is destined to go down into dismissed lawsuit hell where it should go, and Nintendo should counter sue on the grounds for stupid people who always want to blame other people for anything, and think they should get something for nothing.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2004, 09:04:35 AM »

Seriously, it says it in the GC booklet and in the booklet that comes with every game......if the kid had an existing neurological condition (sorry, didn't read the article, so i don't know), then the parents should have known to read the booklets to see if there might be any effects. Videogames aren't the cause of seizures, but they may induce them if the person has been known to have seizures before (becasue of flashing lights or whatever).

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2004, 10:19:48 AM »

From the back of the game case right above the content rating (which parents should be looking at anyway) in a white box with a bright red border:

Quote
/!\ WARNING: PEOPLE WHO ARE PHOTOSENSITIVE (HAVE HAD SEIZURES INDUCED BY FLASHING LIGHTS OR PATTERNS) SHOULD NOT PLAY VIDEO GAMES WITHOUT FIRST SEEING A DOCTOR.

Nintendo, I believe, requires these warnings on the back of all Gamecube game boxes, regardless of whether it's 1st part or not. To the best of my knowledge, neither Sony nor Microsoft require such warnings. 'Nuff said.

StrikerObi · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2004, 11:47:13 AM »

The lawsuit is not happening because there were no warning, as obviously there are warning all over the place. The family is suing Nintendo because they do not thinking the warnings Nintendo currently uses comply with federal law. Regardless, it's still really retarded. If your kid is epileptic he shouldn't be playing videogames in the first place.

Uglydot · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2004, 12:49:40 PM »

They shouldn't be if the parent has yet to know the cause of the seazures or if that is the type of thing that stimulates them. Video games don't have to cause them just because someone is epileptic. From experience with this sort of thing in my family, there is a large amount of information to help parents. This is a needless lawsuit.

ThePerm · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2004, 12:50:01 PM »

its even in bold red attention catching letters on the box....and theres a thing that sais Important! read thei nstruction manual as well....stupid fucking people

Draygaia · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2004, 12:55:51 PM »

They don't even need those warnings on a video game. If you buy a TV you could still experience the seizure.

vudu · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2004, 01:03:19 PM »

Quote
To the best of my knowledge, neither Sony nor Microsoft require such warnings.

can anyone confirm of deny this comment?

vudu · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2004, 01:04:27 PM »

btw, anyone know what game the kid was playing when he had the seizure?

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2004, 01:09:20 PM »

I was wondering that myself, because it may not even be a Nintendo game, and that'd be really dumb.

Kids with epilepsy should play basketball.

Draygaia · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2004, 01:18:51 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: kingvudu
btw, anyone know what game the kid was playing when he had the seizure?

It would be funny if it was a robot game with some Japanese anouncer in saying stuff in Japanese and everything gets crazy like the Simpsons episode where they went to Japan.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2004, 01:50:51 PM »

Quote
The family is suing Nintendo because they do not thinking the warnings Nintendo currently uses comply with federal law.

Like I said, the box is outline in bright red, and is even above the content rating, which every parent should look for when buying a game for their child.

Quote
can anyone confirm of deny this comment?

I think it's safe to assume so- quite literally every one of my Gamecube games has the exact same warning in the exact same spot, 1st and 3rd party alike. Conversely, none of my PS2 games have such a warning, regardless of affiliation, and to the best of my knowledge XBox game cases do not sport the warning either, although I could be wrong. This raises the question of why is this lady suing Nintendo when at the very least Sony (I guarantee you more people are playing PS2 games than Gamecube games) doesn't have a warning at all, while Nintendo apparently requires them?

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2004, 02:06:25 PM »

"...to the best of my knowledge XBox game cases do not sport the warning either"

Nope, they don't...

Suing Nintendo over seizures is like suing McDonalds for getting fat...Oh wait, someone already has...I hate the justice system, and I hate people in general...

yellowfellow · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2004, 02:45:03 PM »

quick cash grab SOBs. people like this want to make me puke.... preferably on their faces.

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2004, 03:03:38 PM »

I'm surprised Viewtiful Joe isn't mentioned as a repeat-offender.

ThePerm · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2004, 03:10:15 PM »

well nintendo game signals must go through a tv screen...and as well i beleive all tvs have epileptic warnings on them as well. This person is just wanting to scape goat nintendo for its bad parenting..and wants them to play doctoring fees.

ib2kool4u912 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2004, 03:28:16 PM »

Well the Gamecube did need electricity to work, let's sue the power company!

Berny · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2004, 05:14:39 PM »

If this goes anywhere, I will sue whatever state is doing this. (I didn't read the article, nor do I wish to) This sorta thing happens all the time. This is why McDonald's has to TELL you that your coffee is hot. People are so dumb. I really hate people. I want to be Irken. Or a Hobbit. Yeah, I could go for Hobbitdom.

Termin8Anakin · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2004, 02:31:36 AM »

This person should be suing Sony and Microsoft, not Nintendo.
Because surely if Nintendo does everything it can to say that games can cause seizures, short of replacing box art altogether for warning labels, MS and Sony are more to blame.

I would so laugh if there actually IS a game based on the 'hit' series 'Super Seizure Robots!!!!!'

Hahahaha!!

KDR_11k · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2004, 05:26:29 AM »

Nintendo (or Pokemon) holds the world record for "most epileptic seizures during a TV programme". One episode of Pokemon caused 40 000 (or 4k, don't remember) cases of epilepsy across Japan according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Okay, was a few years ago, might be trumped by now.
However, that's none of their video games.

Maybe the mother thought Nintendo is a small company and doesn't have strong lawyers to defend itself.

ThePerm · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2004, 05:59:51 AM »

the very fact that the pokémon...a tv show was something on a TELEVISION that also caused seisures indicates that any set of TELEVISION images can cause photosensitive people to have seisures.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2004, 06:12:35 AM »

"This sorta thing happens all the time. This is why McDonald's has to TELL you that your coffee is hot. People are so dumb."

It has nothing to do with stupidity but more with corruption and greed. People sue about everything they can regardless of how dumb it might seem because they hope they can benefit from their own goof up.

I know that if I suffered a seizure from playing a game I would just, you know, not play that game anymore. But I'm a responsible person who admits his mistakes. If I suffered from epilepsy I would be extremely careful about it and if there were warnings anywhere (and there were) I would have read them.

I had to go to a physiotherapist because after playing my GBA for several hours I aggravated a neck injury to the point that nerves in my shoulder were spazing. I didn't sue Nintendo for it because it's common sense to not play that long when you have neck problems. I made a mistake and Nintendo shouldn't have to pay for it.

cubefreak123 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 10, 2004, 04:05:49 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"This sorta thing happens all the time. This is why McDonald's has to TELL you that your coffee is hot. People are so dumb."

It has nothing to do with stupidity but more with corruption and greed. People sue about everything they can regardless of how dumb it might seem because they hope they can benefit from their own goof up.

I know that if I suffered a seizure from playing a game I would just, you know, not play that game anymore. But I'm a responsible person who admits his mistakes. If I suffered from epilepsy I would be extremely careful about it and if there were warnings anywhere (and there were) I would have read them.

I had to go to a physiotherapist because after playing my GBA for several hours I aggravated a neck injury to the point that nerves in my shoulder were spazing. I didn't sue Nintendo for it because it's common sense to not play that long when you have neck problems. I made a mistake and Nintendo shouldn't have to pay for it.

my thoughts exactly. This world is after one thing, money, and parents will look for the stupidest reasons to get money. That and its telling there kids that its not there fault when in reality IT IS!!. If i skated on my schools property and i broke my arm, my parents would say "its your own fault deal with it" they wouldnt freaking sue the school. Not there fault that i broke my arm there, its my fault that i fell.

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Author Topic: Nintendo sued over epileptic seizures (Read 10495 times)