Activision sued for $680M over Call of Duty League monopoly

A gaming company and a retired gamer are suing Activision Blizzard for alleged monopolistic practices within the Call of Duty (COD) esports league, seeking $680 million in damages.

The lawsuit, filed by Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez, CEO of OpTic Gaming, and retired OpTic player Seth “Scump” Abner, claims Activision maintains an “unlawful 100 percent monopoly” over the league.

It challenges the franchising fees in the millions of dollars imposed by the Activision-controlled Call of Duty League for participation. Though several reports said the price of a League berth was anywhere between $20 million and $25 million, the suit claims teams had to pay $27.5 million for a slot.

The suit also accuses the gaming giant of restricting player participation in other COD tournaments, revenue sharing and sponsorship rights—forcing teams into unfavorable agreements.

Activision Blizzard denies the claims, calling them meritless and disruptive to the esports community.