Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez, professional Call of Duty player Seth “Scump” Abner, and HECZ LLC sued Activision Blizzard on February 15, 2024, seeking $680 million in damages. Their complaint alleged that Activision used control of Call of Duty and its professional league to restrict competing competitions and limit teams’ and players’ commercial opportunities. The federal court sent the dispute to arbitration; it did not decide whether those allegations were true.
Who filed the lawsuit, and what did they seek?
The plaintiffs were Rodriguez, Abner, and HECZ LLC—not simply an esports organization. Rodriguez is known as H3CZ, and Abner as Scump. The complaint described Abner as having 30 major championship wins at the time of filing; that is the plaintiffs’ filing-era description, not an independently audited or current career total. The federal case was filed in the Central District of California as Case 2:24-cv-01287.
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The plaintiffs sought $680 million and asserted federal and state antitrust claims. That figure was their damages demand, not a court finding of loss or an amount awarded. The complaint sets out their claims.
What did the plaintiffs allege?
The complaint framed the dispute as a fight over professional Call of Duty competition. The plaintiffs alleged that Activision acquired Major League Gaming, later established the Call of Duty League, and used its control of the game and league to make it harder for rival professional leagues or tournaments to compete.
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They also argued that participation terms for teams and players affected entry into the market, team ownership, revenue, sponsorships, streaming, and other commercial opportunities. These are allegations in the complaint, not established findings about Activision’s conduct.
What happened to the federal case?
- February 15, 2024: Rodriguez, Abner, and HECZ LLC filed the complaint seeking $680 million.
- March 1, 2024: The plaintiffs filed a stipulation asking to move the dispute from the federal court proceeding to arbitration, as recorded on the federal docket.
- March 11, 2024: The court granted the stipulation and dismissed the federal action because the claims were subject to arbitration. The dismissal order was procedural; it did not rule on the merits or determine damages.
A later, secondary Los Angeles County docket listing reports that Activision Blizzard, Activision Publishing, and Call of Duty League filed a petition on March 2, 2026, concerning confirmation, correction, or vacatur of an arbitration award. The listing showed the petition as pending. The award and any final court ruling are not established by that listing. See the Trellis.Law listing.
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How is the DOJ case different?
The Department of Justice brought a separate civil antitrust case in 2023 involving a so-called Competitive Balance Tax in Activision’s Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues. The DOJ alleged that the tax penalized teams when player compensation exceeded set thresholds. That matter ended in a final judgment prohibiting Activision from directly or indirectly imposing an upper limit on player compensation or penalizing a team for exceeding a compensation amount.
| Rodriguez, Abner, and HECZ LLC case | Department of Justice case | |
|---|---|---|
| Who brought it? | Private plaintiffs: Rodriguez, Abner, and HECZ LLC. | The U.S. Department of Justice. |
| Conduct at issue | Alleged exclusion of competing Call of Duty competitions and restrictive team and player commercial terms. | Alleged compensation penalties tied to thresholds in Activision’s Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues. |
| Relief or result | The complaint sought $680 million. The federal action was dismissed after the parties stipulated to arbitration; no merits ruling appears in that order. | A final judgment prohibits compensation caps and penalties for exceeding a compensation amount. |
The DOJ’s judgment concerns its separate enforcement matter, not the private plaintiffs’ damages demand. The department’s April 2023 announcement and final judgment describe that case. In its announcement, then-Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter said: “Video games and esports are among the most popular and fastest growing forms of entertainment in the world today, and professional esports players—like all workers—deserve the benefits of competition for their services. Activision’s conduct prevented that from happening.” That statement characterized the DOJ matter, not the Rodriguez and Abner lawsuit.
Rank #3
- ADAPT OR DIE IN A FIGHT AGAINST THE ULTIMATE THREAT
- Combat means making choices — different loadouts, different paths through the mission. Combat missions that provide more player choice. There is no one-size-fits-all solution – it is your choice whether to take the stealthy approach or go loud taking on any and all foes.
- One of the greatest collections of Multiplayer maps ever. Launching with new Ground War maps boasting innovative play spaces and the epic return and evolution of the popular War Mode
What did Activision say?
GameSpot reported that an Activision Blizzard spokesperson called the 2024 suit “no basis in fact or in law” and said the company would strongly defend against the claims. The outlet also quoted the spokesperson saying: “We are disappointed that these members of the esports community would bring this suit which is disruptive to team owners, players, fans, and partners who have invested so much time and energy into the Call of Duty League’s success.” These comments were reported by GameSpot on February 16, 2024.
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