Montreal - (AFP) - Epic Games, the developer of the "Fortnite" game, is facing a class action lawsuit in Canada, accusing it of making fans of the video game addicted to it.

And three parents blame the game “Fortnite” for causing an addiction similar to that “caused by heroin or cocaine,” referring to “physical and psychological” symptoms that their children are exposed to, such as “headaches” and “backaches,” in addition to “significant social disorders.”

A decision issued on Wednesday that authorized the completion of the lawsuit indicated that one of the three aforementioned minors was diagnosed with cyber addiction, while another, who was 13 years old at the time, played 7,781 games within two years, while spending “three hours of playing at least a day,” and he sometimes continued to play until midnight. .

The plaintiffs asserted that the game "encourages excessive spending of money".

Although downloading it is free, users can purchase the virtual "V-Bucks" currency, in order to benefit from accessories or details in the game, including clothes or dances, for example.

Jean-Philippe Caron, one of the two lawyers who submitted the petition, told AFP that one of the aforementioned children had spent more than six thousand Canadian dollars (about $4,333) and "went as far as saying that he was a victim of fraud."

The lawyer confirmed that he is "satisfied" and "confident" of the expected judicial results, considering that "the evidence is convincing" and supports all the cases he handles.

The three parents and their defense attorneys are demanding "moral and material compensation in addition to a refund of what they paid," specifically the sums spent by minor players on purchases.

For their part, representatives of Epic Games assert that the evidence is “insufficient”, noting that there is no “expert report”, “medical report stating a diagnosis of +addiction”, or a study centered on the “harmful effects of video games”.

The game developer will have to defend itself in the coming months before the Quebec courts, to face charges that it developed and marketed a "dangerous and harmful" product, and failed to address the game's risks and harm to minors through its payment system.

In April, Epic Games reached a $26.5 million settlement in North Carolina to resolve an issue related to the purchase of its virtual currency minors.