Activision Submits Extensive Defense in Call of Duty Uvalde School Shooting Lawsuit

Activision Rebuts Uvalde Lawsuit Claims, Citing First Amendment Protections

Activision Blizzard has filed a robust defense against lawsuits filed by Uvalde shooting victims' families, rejecting claims linking its Call of Duty franchise to the 2022 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.

The May 24, 2022, shooting claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, injuring 17 others. The 18-year-old perpetrator, 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 in-game weaponry. The original complaint also implicated Meta, alleging its Instagram platform facilitated the shooter's connection to firearm manufacturers and weapon advertisements. The families argued that both Activision and Meta fostered a harmful environment encouraging violent behavior in vulnerable youth.

Activision's December filing, a 150-page response to the California lawsuit, 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. Further filings emphasize Call of Duty's status as an expressive work protected under the First Amendment, arguing that accusations based on "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon this fundamental right.

Expert Testimony Supports Activision's Defense

To bolster its defense, Activision submitted expert declarations. A 35-page statement from Notre Dame professor Matthew Thomas Payne refutes the lawsuit's characterization of Call of Duty as a "training camp for mass shooters," arguing it aligns with established military realism conventions in film and television. A separate 38-page declaration from Patrick Kelly, Call of Duty's creative head, details the game's design process, even citing the $700 million budget for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

The extensive documentation submitted by Activision awaits a response from the Uvalde families, with a deadline set for late February. The outcome remains uncertain, but the case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the relationship between violent video games and mass shootings, a recurring theme in similar legal battles.