- Call of Duty has been recently blamed for the tragic shooting at a school in Uvalde 2 years ago.
- Meta and a gun manufacturer have also been blamed for promoting firearms to young children.
- If the lawsuit is successful, it could have a huge impact on the gaming industry.
It has been two years since the tragic shooting at a school in Uvalde, which left 21 dead and 17 injured.
Recently, the families of the victims have taken legal action against Activision Blizzard, Meta, and the weapon manufacturer, Daniel Defense, for the shooting on May 22, 2022. In Activision Blizzard’s case, Call of Duty is being blamed for the shooting.
Why it matters: Video games are primarily a source of entertainment, and those who resort to violent activities or other horrific acts are not inherently linked to video games.
It is claimed that the shooter had been playing Call of Duty since the age of 15 and used a similar rifle in the game. The families are being represented by Josh Koskoff, who has stated that the gun industry alone is not to be blamed.
They couldn’t expose him to the dopamine loop of virtually killing a person. That’s what Call of Duty does.
-Josh Koskoff
Meta was also blamed for promoting such activities on its social media platforms, but most of the blame has been directed toward Activision Blizzard and Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the weapon used in the school shooting.
Koskoff stated that the “three-headed monster,” referring to the three parties blamed, knowingly exposed the shooter to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems, and trained him to use it.
Activision responded to these claims, expressing deep sympathy. However, they emphasized that millions of people play their games without turning to horrific acts.
If the lawsuit succeeds against Activision Blizzard, it could result in a significant shift in the gaming industry. However, similar attempts in the past regarding multiple games have not seen much success.
For now, the gaming giant is on track to release Black Ops 6 this year, the first entry in the series to arrive on Game Pass. This title will depict the events of the Gulf War, which may become yet another point of contention.
Multiple reports over the years have stated that violent activities have no relation to video games. Yet, some continue to blame this industry without addressing the actual root causes of such violence.
Our deepest condolences go to the families affected by this tragedy. We pray for the victims and their loved ones and hope they find strength and peace during this difficult time.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.