Home News Activision Defends 'Call of Duty' Amid Lawsuit

Activision Defends 'Call of Duty' Amid Lawsuit

Author : Jacob Update : Jan 17,2025

Activision Defends

Activision Rebuts Uvalde Lawsuit Claims, Citing First Amendment Protections

Activision Blizzard has filed a robust defense against lawsuits filed by Uvalde school shooting victims' families, denying any causal link between its Call of Duty franchise and the tragedy. The May 2024 lawsuits allege the shooter's exposure to Call of Duty's violent content contributed to the massacre at Robb Elementary School in May 2022.

The lawsuits, filed in California, cite the shooter's history as a Call of Duty player and his use of an AR-15 rifle, similar to those depicted in the game. The families also implicated Meta, claiming Instagram facilitated the shooter's access to firearm advertisements. They contend both companies fostered an environment encouraging violent behavior among vulnerable youth.

Activision's December filing, a comprehensive 150-page response, rejects all allegations. The company asserts the absence of a direct connection between Call of Duty and the Uvalde shooting and seeks dismissal under California's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) laws. The filing underscores Call of Duty's status as a protected form of expression under the First Amendment, arguing that challenges based on "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon this fundamental right.

Expert Testimony Bolsters Activision's Defense

Supporting its position, Activision submitted expert declarations. A 35-page statement from Notre Dame professor Matthew Thomas Payne counters the lawsuit's "training camp" assertion, contextualizing Call of Duty's military realism within the broader tradition of war-themed films and television. A separate 38-page declaration from Patrick Kelly, Call of Duty's head of creative, details the game's development process, including the substantial $700 million budget allocated to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

The Uvalde families have until late February to respond to Activision's extensive documentation. The outcome remains uncertain, but the case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the correlation between violent video games and mass shootings.