World of Warcraft at Ten Ton Hammer

In the gaming industry it's not uncommon to find yourself at the bad end of a lawsuit and Activision Blizzard is the latest company to find themselves faced with allegations. Gamespot has recently acquired new civil suit papers that names Activision Blizzard as the latest target of disgruntled gamer Erik Estavillo who alleges Blizzard's World of Warcraft of having a "harmful virtual environment" with "sneaky and deceitful practices." Estavillo also takes issue with the game's subscription rate of $14.99, calling it the highest of any MMOG. Obviously ignoring the fact that it is the current industry standard.

He first takes exception to the game's $14.99 monthly subscription fee, calling it the highest of any MMORPG. He contends the fee is aggravated by the game requiring players to travel great distances at a slow walking or running pace, with fast travel options like teleportation stones and mounts only available to gamers who rise to an advanced level or purchase the game's expansion packs.

That's not Estavillo's only issue with the game. He also expresses his displeasure with having to travel at a slow pace and called the death mechanics an unnecessary part of the game. Lucky he didn't get the old EverQuest death treatment, but on the issue of EverQuest, Estavillo does cite it in his suit, bringing up the 2001 suicide of a man who played the game.The plaintiff goes on to state he suffers from many of the same mental ailments and doesn't want to end up like the 2001 suicide player. The plaintiff has also subpoenaed a pair of celebrities to testify on his behalf with actress Wynona Ryder and song writer and singer Martin Lee Gore.

Estavillo has already filed suits against Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo alleging various things relating to each company's console such as causing undue stress and the violation of First Amendment Rights. The case against Sony was subsequently dismissed, but the battle rages on as the gamer seeks $1 million in punitive damages from Activision Blizzard and a court order forcing them to address the problems alleged in the suit.

Read the full story here and please tell us what you think on our forums. It should be an interesting conversation.