Activision Rejects Claims Linking Call of Duty to Uvalde Tragedy, 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 2022 tragedy. The May 2024 lawsuits allege the shooter's exposure to the game's violent content contributed to the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers perished.

The defense, filed in December and totaling 150 pages, refutes all allegations. Activision contends that no direct connection exists between Call of Duty and the events of May 24, 2022. The company invokes California's anti-SLAPP laws, designed to protect free speech from frivolous litigation, seeking dismissal of the case. Furthermore, Activision emphasizes Call of Duty's status as an expressive work protected under the First Amendment, arguing that claims based on its "hyper-realistic content" infringe upon this fundamental right.

Supporting its stance, Activision submitted expert declarations. Professor Matthew Thomas Payne of Notre Dame University provided a 35-page statement contextualizing Call of Duty within the tradition of military-themed entertainment, rejecting the plaintiffs' characterization of the game as a "training camp for mass shooters." 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 underscores the ongoing societal debate surrounding the potential influence of violent video games on real-world violence. The shooter, an 18-year-old former student, had played Call of Duty, including Modern Warfare, and used an AR-15 rifle similar to one depicted in the game. The lawsuits also implicated Meta, alleging Instagram facilitated the shooter's access to firearm advertisements.