Activision Defends in Uvalde School 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 allege the shooter's exposure to Call of Duty's violent content contributed to the massacre.

The May 24, 2022, Robb Elementary School shooting claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, injuring 17 others. The 18-year-old shooter, a former Robb Elementary student, was a known Call of Duty player, having downloaded Modern Warfare in November 2021. The lawsuit also implicated Meta, alleging its Instagram platform facilitated connections between the shooter and firearm manufacturers, exposing him to AR-15 advertisements – a weapon similar to those depicted in Call of Duty and used in the attack. The plaintiffs contend Activision and Meta fostered a harmful environment encouraging violent behavior in vulnerable adolescents.

Activision's December filing, a 150-page response to the California lawsuit, vehemently denies all allegations of causality. The company asserts no direct link exists between Call of Duty and the Robb Elementary tragedy, seeking dismissal under California's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) laws. The filing further emphasizes Call of Duty's status as protected free speech under the First Amendment, arguing that claims centered on the game's "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon this fundamental right.

Expert Testimony Bolsters Activision's Defense

Supporting its defense, 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 realism in film and television, directly refuting the lawsuit's "training camp for mass shooters" assertion. A 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 comprehensive defense. The outcome remains uncertain, yet this case highlights the ongoing, complex debate surrounding the relationship between violent video games and mass shootings.