Visually disable person sues Sony cuz he can't see

**shorty920** · 11-07-2009, 05:11 PM

Visually Impaired Gamer Sues Sony - Lawsuit - Kotaku

Quote:

GameSpot reports that a man has sued Sony, Sony Online Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment of America, contending the company violates the Americans with Disabilities Act for not making its virtual worlds more easily navigable by the visually impaired.

The nature of Alexander Stern's visual impairment isn't clear from the report, whether that is total blindness or partial blindness, or some other form of sight disability. But his suit, filed in federal court in California, claims that Sony has ignored repeated requests to modify its games - the suit seems to focus on SOE's MMOs - and that the realms Sony maintains here are essentially public accommodations as defined by the ADA.

Stern repeatedly asked Sony for the addition of visual cues to point out destinations for gamers with "disability impaired visual processing." The suit mentions World of Warcraft and another game that, through the allowance of third-party modifications or other features, make their games more accessible to the visually impaired.

There's also a claim that by not making accommodations for the visually impaired, Sony essentially deprives Stern and others of fair participation in selling off in-game items over SOE's official auction site.

Sony told GameSpot it doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Whatever the merits of the suit, and I'm sure our team of lawyers will robustly discuss them in the comments below, the action is intriguing to me in that it seems to depend on finding a virtual environment is a public accommodation. I can't even begin to argue coherently that it is or isn't or should or should not be. A judge could find that an MMO is a public accommodation and Stern could still lose, but such a ruling could have larger ramifications that outlive this case, for more than just Sony.

I think this is one of the more ridiculous lawsuits of the 21st Century (or of all time really). So he is suing Sony because he can't see the screen and saying that it's their fault he can't play because he's disabled. Now normally I sympathize with the disabled, but I hope this lawsuit gets laughed out of court for sheer retardedness.

On another note if this does miraculously win, then every blind person in the US can sue video entertainment broadcasts and death people should all sue musicians for not hearing their music.

evil_betty · 11-07-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorty920

Visually Impaired Gamer Sues Sony - Lawsuit - Kotaku

I think this is one of the more ridiculous lawsuits of the 21st Century (or of all time really). So he is suing Sony because he can't see the screen and saying that it's their fault he can't play because he's disabled. Now normally I sympathize with the disabled, but I hope this lawsuit gets laughed out of court for sheer retardedness.

On another note if this does miraculously win, then every blind person in the US can sue video entertainment broadcasts and death people should all sue musicians for not hearing their music.

I don't really know what to make of this. He's visually impaired and he can't use the online auctioning site to sell in game items. I don't get how he got them in the first place then. Didn't someone win a lawsuit suing McDonald's or something because they burned themselves because McD's didn't say their coffee was hot? I guess anything can happen.

In the spirit of retardedness...death people suing musicians? Are you serious?

**shorty920** · 11-07-2009, 05:31 PM

- The lawsuit against Mcdonalds was fair actually. The coffee was way above safe levels and as the old lady got the coffee, the coffee melted through the cup and burned her. This was a fair one I think.

And if this person who is suing a videogame company for not making it easier for him to play the game cuz he's visually impaired and wins this case, then technically yes death people can sue music producers for not making it easier for them to follow the songs and should win. Same logic.

evil_betty · 11-07-2009, 05:43 PM

Oh, didn't know the details of the McDonald's lawsuit but I guess that makes sense if that's true.

And are you fucking stupid? Deaf people can't hear, death people are...well that doesn't even really make sense.

**shorty920** · 11-07-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evil_betty

Oh, didn't know the details of the McDonald's lawsuit but I guess that makes sense if that's true.

And are you fucking stupid? Deaf people can't hear, death people are...well that doesn't even really make sense.

Great. I meant deaf. But my mind was working in weird. You know what I meant. No I'm not fucking stupid.

Jizzylax · 11-07-2009, 05:45 PM

Jackass.

I hate blind people.

AUGUST 22 · 11-08-2009, 04:27 AM

Just wanted to point out that its DEAF...not DEATH

well....I guess someone already said it before me....haha

Lucent_Beam · 11-08-2009, 02:20 PM

All this is sort of ridiculous.
I know the importance of making things accessible to people with disabilities, but in this case it just doesn't make sense. If a game relies mainly on visual cues, I don't really believe you can expect a game developer to make modifications to force the game to STOP relying on visual cues.

wookie606 · 11-09-2009, 06:07 AM

yes its a shame hes visually impared, but what the hell, they shouldnt have to make allowences for it, its a visual art. The last thing a games developer thinks after spending millions and years of time on a game is, now how can we make this ok for blind people.