Activision Files Comprehensive Response in CoD Uvalde Lawsuit

Activision Rebuts Uvalde Lawsuit Claims, Citing First Amendment Protections

Activision Blizzard has filed a robust defense against lawsuits linking its Call of Duty franchise to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting tragedy. Filed in May 2024 by families of the victims, the lawsuits contend that the shooter's exposure to Call of Duty's violent content contributed to the massacre.

The May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, injuring 17 others. The shooter, a former Robb Elementary student, was a known Call of Duty player, having downloaded Modern Warfare in November 2021 and using an AR-15 rifle, similar to those depicted in the game. The original complaint also implicated Meta, alleging its Instagram platform facilitated connections between the shooter and firearm manufacturers.

Activision's comprehensive response, a 150-page document submitted last December, vehemently denies any causal link between Call of Duty and the tragedy. The company invoked California's anti-SLAPP laws, designed to protect free speech from frivolous litigation, seeking dismissal of the case. Furthermore, Activision emphasized Call of Duty's status as an expressive work protected under the First Amendment, arguing that the lawsuit's claims regarding "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon this fundamental right.

Supporting its defense, Activision presented expert testimony. A 35-page declaration from Notre Dame professor Matthew Thomas Payne counters the lawsuit's characterization of Call of Duty as a "training camp for mass shooters," contextualizing the game's military realism within the broader tradition of war-themed films and television. A separate 38-page submission 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 filings. The outcome remains uncertain, but the case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the potential influence of violent video games on real-world violence.