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 connecting 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, Robb Elementary School 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. He used an AR-15 rifle, similar to one depicted in the game. The plaintiffs allege that Activision, alongside Meta (through Instagram), fostered a harmful environment that indirectly encouraged violence.

Activision's December filing, a 150-page response to the California lawsuit, vehemently denies all allegations. The company asserts the absence of a direct causal link between Call of Duty and the tragedy, seeking dismissal under California's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) laws. The filing emphasizes Call of Duty's status as a protected form of expression under the First Amendment, arguing that claims based on its "hyper-realistic content" violate this fundamental right.

Supporting its defense, Activision submitted expert declarations. A 35-page statement from Notre Dame professor Matthew Thomas Payne counters the lawsuit's "training camp" assertion, contextualizing Call of Duty's military realism within the broader tradition of war-themed films and television. A separate 38-page declaration from Patrick Kelly, Call of Duty's head of creative, details the game's development, including the $700 million budget for 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, but the case highlights the ongoing and complex debate surrounding the relationship between violent video games and mass shootings.