Activision Defends in Uvalde Suit

Activision Rebuts Uvalde Shooting Lawsuit, Citing First Amendment Rights

Activision Blizzard has filed a robust defense against lawsuits filed by Uvalde school shooting victims' families, vehemently 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 on May 24, 2022, where 19 children and two teachers perished. The shooter, a former Robb Elementary student, had played Call of Duty, including Modern Warfare, and used an AR-15 rifle, similar to one depicted in the game.

Activision's December filing, a comprehensive 150-page response, refutes all claims. The company asserts that no direct connection exists between Call of Duty and the shooting, invoking California's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) laws to protect its First Amendment rights. The defense emphasizes Call of Duty's status as an expressive work, arguing that criticisms based on its "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon fundamental free speech protections.

Expert Testimony Bolsters Activision's Defense

Supporting its position, Activision submitted declarations from prominent experts. Notre Dame professor Matthew Thomas Payne's 35-page statement contextualizes Call of Duty within the established tradition of military-themed realism in film and television, directly countering the lawsuit's "training camp" assertion. Patrick Kelly, Call of Duty's head of creative, contributed a 38-page document detailing 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, yet the case highlights the ongoing and complex debate surrounding the relationship between violent video games and real-world violence, a recurring theme in the aftermath of mass shootings.