Stanford Medicine Professor Delves Into Excessive Video Game Use and the Impact on the Developing Brain
Bradley Zicherman, a professor at Stanford, emphasizes the negative impact of excessive video game use and how it impacts the brain, necessitating intervention and action.
A recent Stanford Medicine article featuring insights from professor Bradley Zicherman, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, underscores how excessive gaming can disrupt the developing brain’s reward system and lead to addiction-like patterns in adolescents.
Zicherman warns that modern video games can overstimulate the brain’s reward pathways in ways similar to gambling, social media, and substance use. Because young brains are still developing, they are especially vulnerable to dependency.
Video games are intentionally engineered to keep players engaged for long periods, using mechanisms such as loot boxes, randomized rewards, time-gated challenges, and social pressure. These design choices — now at the center of many lawsuits — mimic gambling-like systems and encourage prolonged play without offering parents meaningful warnings or safeguards.
A major concern highlighted by Zicherman is that young people rarely recognize when gaming has become a problem. While children often insist their habits are “normal,” parents frequently observe late-night gaming, exhaustion, irritability or “gamer’s rage,” withdrawal from family or activities, and declining academic performance. Video game addiction caused by these symptoms is considered an Internet Gaming Disorder, a condition recognized by the American Psychiatric Association.
Many of today’s popular video games—like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox—are at the center of a growing number of addiction lawsuits. With few meaningful safeguards in place and no clear warnings about addiction risks, families across the country are now turning to legal action to help their children. Lawsuits argue that game developers knowingly designed these games to maximize engagement and profits while ignoring the psychological impact on young players.
Recognizing the warning signs is crucial for understanding whether you may have legal options. Children between ages 5 and 16 who have played Roblox, Fortnite, Call of Duty or Minecraft for at least 70 hours within a 5-week period and have exhibited symptoms of video game addiction may be eligible to file a claim.
Potential symptoms of video game addiction include:
- Declining grades or missed school
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Social or emotional withdrawal
- Intense anger when gameplay is interrupted
- Preoccupation with gaming or inability to cut back
When gaming interferes with daily functioning, relationships, responsibilities, or mental health, it may qualify as Internet Gaming Disorder. Recognizing these warning signs is the first step in understanding whether your child may be affected and whether you may have legal options.
How Can Legal Action Protect My Child?
Understanding the neurological impact of gaming — particularly for young players — can empower families to seek accountability. Speaking with a law firm experienced in video gaming addiction litigation may help determine whether your family can pursue a lawsuit. These cases aim not only to address individual harm but also to push the gaming industry toward safer, more transparent design practices.
