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November 25th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Martin Gore Subpoenaed in ‘World of Warcraft’ Lawsuit
Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Martin L. Gore, best known for his near 30-year career with Depeche Mode, has been subpoenaed for a lawsuit involving World of Warcraft.
Gamespot reports that an avid San Jose gamer named Erik Estavillo is suing game-developer Activision Blizzard, claiming that playing the game has contributed to his sense of alienation and social awkwardness. Estavillo also claims the game’s subscription costs (a meager $14.99 a month) and other such fees are way too high. Estavillo has reportedly called both Gore and actress Winona Ryder to testify about the feeling of alienation and loneliness.
In the subpoena, the plaintiff named Gore “since he himself has been known to be sad, lonely, and alienated, as can be seen in the songs he writes,” a claim that though irrelevant to the case at hand, holds some basis in reality. As principle songwriter and lyricist for Depeche Mode, Gore has penned dozens of the band’s most downtrodden and lyrically estranged tracks, including the likes of “Blasphemous Rumours,” “Stripped,” “Barrel of a Gun,” and even “Enjoy the Silence,” one of Depeche Mode’s best-known songs. Meanwhile, Ryder gets the nod due to her affinity for Catcher in the Rye, the well-known novel by J.D. Salinger. The suit claims that her appreciation of the novel is valid to express “how alienation in the book can tie to alienation in real live [sic] / video games such as World of Warcraft.”
I wish I could say that this is a one-time freak lawsuit, but Gamespot also reveals that Estavillo has sued video game companies Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft in the past. In this suit, Estavillo claims that video games are one of the few sources of happiness he has in his life, and hopes that the company will address his claims. In addition, he is seeking $1 million in punitive damages and a court order to address his issues with the game.
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November 25th, 2009 at 4:30 PM { # }
Someone has too much time and money on their hands- surprised he complains about 14.99 a month . How much does it cost to sue someone?
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November 25th, 2009 at 4:30 PM { # }
what a wacko, as a player of warcraft myself i can say that if anything it improves social skills and studies have been done to prove it (which I’m sure will be presented in court to blow this dudes case away). I mean to be alienated in a game that’s as full of freakin wierdos as WoW is you’ve gotta be a pretty jacked up individual. Sounds like the guy just wants a chance to meet the people subpoenaed. I hope Activision Blizzard sends him back to his parents basement empty handed to wonder why no one in-game will play with a self-pitying nut who’s memorized all of depeche modes songs and blames the world for his problems.
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November 25th, 2009 at 4:30 PM { # }
this is the exact same thing that happened when those fat girls sued Mcdonalds because their food made them fat. the only thing this guy is gonna get is a long walk home from the court house with his tail between his legs.
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