Smallwood v. Ncsoft Corp.

• Decision Date: 04 August 2010
• Docket Number: Civ. No. 09-00497 ACK-BMK
• Citation: 730 F.Supp.2d 1213
• Parties: Craig SMALLWOOD, Plaintiff, v. NCSOFT CORPORATION, NC Interactive, Inc., Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of Hawaii

730 F.Supp.2d 1213

Craig SMALLWOOD, Plaintiff,

v.NCSOFT CORPORATION, NC Interactive, Inc., Defendants.

Civ. No. 09-00497 ACK-BMK.

United States District Court,

D. Hawai'i.

Aug. 4, 2010.

Craig Smallwood, Ewa Beach, HI, for Plaintiff.

Lila B. Kanae, Kanae & Yamamura, Honolulu, HI, for Defendants.

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS THE SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT

ALAN C. KAY, Senior District Judge.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On October 19, 2009, pro se Plaintiff Craig Smallwood ("Plaintiff") filed a Complaint ("Complaint") against NCSOFT. Although Plaintiff named only "NCSOFT" in the caption on his original complaint, two NCsoft entities have appeared in this action, Defendants NC Interactive Inc. and NCsoft Corporation, both of whom are named in the Second Amended Complaint ("Defendants").

On October 29, 2009, 2009 WL 3538469, this Court sua sponte dismissed Plaintiff's Complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Order Dismissing Plaintiff's Complaint With Leave to Amend, dated Oct. 29, 2009 ("10/29/09 Order"). The Court held that diversity jurisdiction had not been properly alleged because Plaintiff had failed to allege his own citizenship and the citizenship of NCsoft's North America affiliate. 10/29/09 Order at 5-6. The Court granted Plaintiff twenty (20) days from the date the Order was filed to file an amended complaint that would meet the jurisdictional requirements.

Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on November 13, 2009 ("Amended Complaint"). The Amended Complaint appeared to be the same as the Complaint, but for the addition of a paragraph at the beginning asserting citizenship.

On November 23, 2009, Defendants NC Interactive Inc. and NCsoft Corp. filed a motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint. On February 26, 2010, 2010 WL 727715, the Court dismissed Plaintiff's Amended Complaint with leave to amend. Specifically, the Court (1) denied Defendants' Motion to Dismiss based upon Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) lack of subject matter jurisdiction; (2) granted Defendants' Motion to Dismiss on the basis of failure to plead fraud in compliance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(b); (3) granted Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and Defamation claims for failure to state a claim under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6); and (4) dismissed the Amended Complaint without prejudice and with leave to amend.

On April 7, 2010, Plaintiff filed a Second Amended Complaint. On April 21, 2010, Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the Second Amended Complaint ("Motion to Dismiss" or "Motion"). Plaintiff filed an opposition on June 29, 2010 ("Opposition"), and a Supplemental Memorandum in Opposition on July 1, 2010 ("Supplemental Memorandum"). Defendants filed a reply on July 6, 2010 ("Reply"). The Court held a hearing on Defendants' Motion on July 19, 2010.

At the hearing, the Court requested supplemental briefing on the effect of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices and Consumer Protection statute (the "Texas Act") on this case. On July 29, 2010, both parties submitted the requested supplemental briefing ("Plaintiff's Second Supplemental Mem." and "Defendant's Supplemental Mem."). Doc. Nos. 33 & 34.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND ¹

Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint alleges the following. Defendants designedand distributed interactive role playing internet games to the public, including the game "Lineage II." Second Am. Compl. ¶ 11. In 2004 or 2005, Plaintiff opened three accounts, thereby becoming licensed to play Lineage II. Id. ¶ 12. The accounts were paid for by charge card, three months in advance. Id. ¶ 13. Plaintiff played Lineage II from 2004-2009 for over 20,000 hours. Id. ¶ 14. Plaintiff experienced great feelings of euphoria and satisfaction from persistent play, as did other users of Lineage II. Id. ¶ 15.

Plaintiff became psychologically dependent and addicted to playing Lineage II. Id. ¶ 16. During the years that Plaintiff played Lineage II, the phenomena of psychological dependence and addiction to playing computer games was recognized by and known to Defendants. Id. ¶ 17. Defendants never gave Plaintiff any notice or warning of the danger of psychological dependence or addiction from continued play. Id. ¶ 18.

Plaintiff further alleges that "to build its reputation and increase profits, defendants have to continually create new games or game versions, and sell more licenses." Id. ¶ 20. Thus, in 2009, Defendants began selling and licensing a new computer game, "Aion," which was quite successful. Id. ¶ 21. Plaintiff alleges that "[o]ne method of promoting Aion, was to lock players out from the older game Lineage II, thus creating popularity and publicity for the newer game Aion, a larger amount of users/licensees, and increased profits for [Defendants.]" Id. ¶ 22.

In September 2009, Plaintiff discovered that he had been "locked out of the game, i.e., that defendants had 'banned' him from further play of the game." Id. ¶ 23. Plaintiff alleges he received no warning that he was in danger of being banned or had been banned and that he was banned from all accounts belonging to his internet protocol ("IP") address. Id. ¶¶ 24-25.

Plaintiff alleges that he made numerous attempts to contact Defendants to determine why he was banned, but that "there was a maze of purposeful obstruction to receive any information on why he was locked out." Id. ¶¶ 28-30.

Plaintiff alleges that he pre-paid for access to his accounts and had approximately one-and-a-half months of access left at the time his accounts were banned. Id ¶ 31. Plaintiff alleges that "Defendants unlawfully retained plaintiff's money on account [valued at $65], for playtime that was intentionally withheld and denied." Id. ¶¶ 32-33.

Plaintiff alleges that Defendants told him he was banned from the game for engaging in an elaborate scheme to create real money transfers. Id. ¶ 34. Plaintiff alleges that NCSOFT sent him an email to that effect on October 5, 2009, which Plaintiff attaches to the Second Amended Complaint. Id. ¶ 35-36. Plaintiff denies ever being involved in any scheme to make real money transfers or making any real money transfers. Id. ¶ 37-40.

Plaintiff also asserts that there are Game Masters in Lineage II who are supposed to ensure fairness, but that the game rules were not enforced fair and square. Id. ¶ 51-52. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant conducted "banning purges," which were "defendants' concealed methods to promote Aion and increase their profits." Id. ¶ 52.

Plaintiff asserts that he continues to this day to have a compulsive urge and need to play Lineage II and that he has never received any warning, notice, or advicefrom Defendants as to the danger of addiction from playing Lineage II. Id. ¶¶ 54-55.

Plaintiff alleges that as a direct result of using Lineage II and Defendants' acts and omissions, he has suffered extreme and serious emotional distress and depression, he has been unable to function independently, he has suffered psychological trauma, he was hospitalized, and he requires treatment and therapy three times a week. Id. ¶¶ 59-61.

In summary, Plaintiff alleges that he "would not have bought and played Lineage II if he had been aware that he would be subjected to the dishonesty and unfairness described above, or that he would become addicted to the game." Id. ¶ 63.

Plaintiff sets forth eight counts: (I) Misrepresentation/Deceit; (II) Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices; (III) Defamation/Libel/Slander; (IV) Negligence; (V) Gross Negligence; (VI) Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress; (VII) Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress; and (VIII) Punitive Damages.

LEGAL STANDARD

I. Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction

A court's subject matter jurisdiction may be challenged under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) ("Rule 12(b)(1)"). "A party invoking the federal court's jurisdiction has the burden of proving the actual existence of subject matter jurisdiction." See Thompson v. McCombe, 99 F.3d 352, 353 (9th Cir.1996).

On a Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, the court is not "restricted to the face of the pleadings, but may review any evidence, such as affidavits and testimony, to resolve factual disputes concerning the existence of jurisdiction." McCarthy v. United States, 850 F.2d 558, 560 (9th Cir.1988). "Once the moving party [converts] the motion to dismiss into a factual motion by presenting affidavits or other evidence properly brought before the court, the party opposing the motion must furnish affidavits or other evidence necessary to satisfy its burden of establishing subject matter jurisdiction." Savage v. Glendale Union High Sch., 343 F.3d 1036, 1040 n. 2 (9th Cir.2003).

"The requirement that the nonmoving party present evidence outside his pleadings in opposition to a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is the same as that required under Rule 56(e) that the nonmoving party to a motion for summary judgment must set forth specific facts, beyond his pleadings, to show that a genuine issue of material fact exists." Trentacosta v. Frontier Pac. Aircraft Indus., Inc., 813 F.2d 1553, 1559 (9th Cir.1987). When ruling on a jurisdictional motion involving factual issues which also go to the merits, the moving party "should prevail only if the material jurisdictional facts are not in dispute and the moving party is entitled to prevail as a matter of law." Casumpang v. Int'l Longshoremen's & Warehousemen's Union, 269 F.3d 1042, 1060-61 (9th Cir.2001)

The Court has diversity jurisdiction in cases involving claims greater than $75,000 and that are either between citizens of different states or citizens of a state and citizens or subjects of a foreign state pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1)(2). To show state citizenship for diversity purposes a party must (1) be a citizen of the United States, and (2) be domiciled in the state. Kantor v. Wellesley Galleries, Ltd., 704 F.2d 1088, 1090 (9th Cir.1983).

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