[Vigilous]

GameSpot Article

In what can only be describe as another what-the-fuck lawsuit, Sony is being charged by a blind gamer of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. According to the gamer, Sony has not answered requests and plies to add in audio and visual aides into their games, specifically an MMO, to help visually impaired gamers. The suit also charges that Sony is causing a financial loss to the gamer, since he cannot participate in the online auctions Sony allows for the MMO (Free Realms), in which gamers can RMT their in-game items to one another.

Quite frankly, I smell bullshit.

[Demonsquall]

Wow... Another examples of people suing people over nothing. I know a guy who has to be 3 inches from the screen to read text, but he still plays FFXI.

Also, It could be argued that Sony is not causing a loss to the gamer because he has a choice to play the game or not and the auction system is just a perk in the game which is not required participation.

[Vigilous]

Yeah, that would be common sense. But as you know, most people lack this basic thought process.

[Corrderio]

You have got to be fucking kidding me....

[Aeonknight]

Frivilous lawsuit GO.

I swear between this and work... having any sympathy for disabled people is getting harder and harder. I migth start parking in handicapped spots now.

[pathwriter]

ADA has been one of the most disruptive and negative actions on behalf of the disabled community in history. Its limited benefits are far outweighed by the nonsense it generates by way of this kind of suit (which we might consider frivolous but some judges do not) and in terms of disenfranchising those it claims to protect.

[octoberasian]

Wait, wait... let me get this straight: Blind man sues Sony for lack of VISUAL CUES in its video games?

Where is a /facepalm picture when you need one?

[Wildstriker]

They clearly need to make Video Games in Braille.

[Yhelothur]

You people do realize that the "legally blind" can still see right? This guy is obviously just within the guidelines to be considered blind. And that means he can still see, and still play a game. Some things would be more difficult, of course, but... Sony not having done a thing to aid anyone in this situation (It was shown he's not the only person experiencing this issue) kinda shows a little fault on their side. Either way, it sounds like what SE has been running us through for years. Maybe I should sue for something I pull out of my ass. Maybe I played too much and it's making me lose my eyesight!

[firefeng]

Yhelothur, on 07 November 2009 - 12:04 AM, said:

You people do realize that the "legally blind" can still see right? This guy is obviously just within the guidelines to be considered blind. And that means he can still see, and still play a game. Some things would be more difficult, of course, but... Sony not having done a thing to aid anyone in this situation (It was shown he's not the only person experiencing this issue) kinda shows a little fault on their side.

And if Sony were providing some service that could "easily" be changed to accommodate a blind person, their "fault" may be legally actionable. Instead, they're being subjected to a whiny cripple's sense of entitlement because he can't fully experience visual entertainment. He may as well try suing fate for fucking over his visual capabilities.

[Keylime]

I thought the disabilities act covered things like work and education, not entertainment.

[motoh]

Man, if only they were epileptic. I'd find every effect in FFXI I could to set them off.

As for suing sony, g'luck to em. I'd love a petty reason to sue a company about stuff I wouldn't play also.

(C'mon, what are you gonna get out of a game you can barely see or hear?'

~M

[Hellsing]

Keylime, on 07 November 2009 - 08:10 AM, said:

I thought the disabilities act covered things like work and education, not entertainment.

I actually did a bit of research, and found you're right. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities. The only thing I see this falling under is communications, but that's relatively iffy. You'd have to define what falls under communications. Eh...

[firefeng]

Hellsing, on 07 November 2009 - 12:41 PM, said:

I actually did a bit of research, and found you're right. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities. The only thing I see this falling under is communications, but that's relatively iffy. You'd have to define what falls under communications. Eh...

Public accommodation is a better fit, considering it applies to things like movie theaters and retail stores. Sadly, this sort of retardation isn't new. Yes, movie theaters have been sued for not properly accommodating blind people.

It's enough to make one want to gouge out their own eyeballs.

[Hellsing]

firefeng, on 07 November 2009 - 08:36 PM, said:

Public accommodation is a better fit, considering it applies to things like movie theaters and retail stores. Sadly, this sort of retardation isn't new. Yes, movie theaters have been sued for not properly accommodating blind people.

It's enough to make one want to gouge out their own eyeballs.

As far as video games go though...? Unless it's a gaming cafe we're talking about, it would fall under communications. With things like movies and such, sure, but not video games. I wouldn't consider that a 'public accommodation'. It's more of a general hobby. It would depend on how you word it, because that's all court can really be sometimes. A really clever word game, throwing as many twists and turns on things as you can.

[Varizen]

octoberasian, on 07 November 2009 - 12:13 AM, said:

Wait, wait... let me get this straight: Blind man sues Sony for lack of VISUAL CUES in its video games?

Where is a /facepalm picture when you need one?

Just a google away, Ase.

[treelo]

You should convert that to braille before someone sues.

[Corrderio]

treelo, on 07 November 2009 - 07:30 PM, said:

You should convert that to braille before someone sues.

LMAO