California Superior Court Finds Activision Publishing May Proceed With Jury Trial In Suit Against Electronic Arts

Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI, announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court has denied a motion brought by Electronic Arts, Inc. EA for summary judgment, thereby permitting Activision to proceed to trial on its $400 million contract-interference suit against EA.. At a hearing held yesterday, December 21, 2012, Judge Elihu Berle denied EA's motion, finding that the evidence presented by Activision supplied a basis for a jury to potentially conclude both that EA had intentionally interfered with Activision's employment agreements with former Call of Duty game developers, Jason West and Vince Zampella, and that EA had aided and abetted West and Zampella's breach of fiduciary duties to Activision. A related summary judgment motion put forth by West and Zampella was also denied.