‘Call of Duty’ champions file $680 million antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard

Two prominent “Call of Duty” champions have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, accusing the Santa Monica gaming giant of wielding an “unlawful monopoly” over leagues and tournaments at gamers’ expense.

The 44-page complaint, filed Thursday in California by Hector “H3cz” Rodriguez and Seth “Scump” Abner, alleges that Activision Blizzard abused its monopolistic power to bar some prospective competitors from entering “Call of Duty” leagues and tournaments and coerce others into paying “extortionate” amounts to participate.

Any prospective team owners and players who were “unwilling or unable” to meet Activision Blizzard’s price of entry “were effectively frozen out of the market,” while those who did agree to the terms — including Rodriguez and Abner — suffered financially because of it, the filing claims.

“As a result of its myriad anticompetitive actions, Activision now holds an unlawful 100% monopoly over that lucrative and once-vibrant market,” the complaint reads. “Absent its unlawful monopoly, Activision could never have obtained those terms, which enrich Activision at the team owners’ and players’ expense without any pro-competitive justification.”

Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

The lawsuit identifies Abner (better known by his gamer tag, “Scump”) as the second-winningest player in professional “Call of Duty” history with 30 major championship victories, while Rodriguez (known in the gaming community as “H3cz”) is recognized as the captain of one of the most successful professional teams, OpTic.

Prior to 2019, the complaint states, professional “Call of Duty” leagues and tournaments were organized and hosted by a variety of companies, including GameStop, Major League Gaming and the owner of the video game, Activision. During that period, the filing continues, “modest entry fees” allowed the “best players and teams” to take part in competitions and reap benefits such as prize money, sponsorships and exposure.

That all changed, the plaintiffs allege, when Activision Blizzard launched the Activision CoD League in 2019, effectively eliminating all other professional “Call of Duty” leagues and tournaments and forcing the world’s top players to abide by the company’s terms to further their careers. The lawsuit claims that at one point, Activision Blizzard required teams to pay $27.5 million each and swear not to participate in or promote any other professional “Call of Duty” operations in order to enter its league.

Abner and Rodriguez also argue that they were personally inhibited and burdened economically by Activision Blizzard‘s alleged anti-competitive practices. They are seeking a jury trial and about $680 million in damages.