Wired:  “A federal judge is allowing a negligence lawsuit to proceed against the publisher of the online virtual-world game Lineage II, amid allegations that a Hawaii man became so addicted he is ‘unable to function independently in usual daily activities such as getting up, getting dressed, bathing or communicating with family and friends.’  Craig Smallwood, the plaintiff, claims NCsoft of South Korea should pay unspecified monetary damages because of the addictive nature of the game. Smallwood claims to have played Lineage II for 20,000 hours between 2004 and 2009.”

For a law professor’s view of this case, see “Blog Commenter Sues Volokh Conspiracy for Making Him “Psychologically Dependent and Addicted” to Commenting.”