Activision Blizzard responds to accusations that Call of Duty 'raised' 18-year-old who went on a shooting spree at Uvalde school
Activision Blizzard has filed a detailed response to the lawsuits filed by the families of the Uvalde school shooting victims, who accused the company of "grooming" the 18-year-old shooter through Call of Duty. The tragedy occurred in May 2022, when 19 children and two teachers were killed and 17 others were injured in an attack on Robb Elementary School.
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The families of the victims filed lawsuits against Activision, as well as Instagram and weapons manufacturer Daniel Defense, claiming that these companies "shaped" the attacker's mind. "This three-headed monster," the lawsuit says, "deliberately prepared him to use guns as a tool to solve his problems." Activision had previously called the shooting "horrific and heartbreaking" but stressed that "millions of people around the world enjoy video games without committing horrific acts".
Activision has now officially filed its initial defence, consisting of nearly 150 pages of legal documents. In the six-page response to the California lawsuit, the company denies all allegations, claiming that there is no causal link between Call of Duty and the shooting. Activision has also asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit on the basis of California's anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to protect freedom of speech.
In its 35-page statement, Activision said: "Call of Duty tells complex stories that explore real-life combat situations faced by soldiers in modern warfare." The company stressed that the game is expressive and fully protected by the First Amendment.
Activision's defence also includes a 35-page declaration by Matthew Thomas Payne, a professor of media studies at the University of Notre Dame, who claims that the Call of Duty series "draws from the same tradition of military realism that has been explored for decades in critically acclaimed war films and television shows".
In addition, the defence is supported by a 38-page document from Call of Duty's creative director Patrick Kelly. It describes in detail the development process of the series and refutes allegations that the shooter learned about the weapon from the game's loading screen.
The families of the victims have until the end of February to respond to Activision's submission, and the company will be able to provide a response in April. If the case goes to trial, it could drag on for a long time.
Source: Eurogamer
