Connect with us

Technology

Call of Duty League team owner suing Activision Blizzard for $680 million

Published

on

Call of Duty League team owner suing  Activision Blizzard for 0 million

Rodriguez — whose company owned and operated the Call of Duty League’s OpTic Texas team — and now-retired OpTic player Seth “Scump” Abner are seeking $680 million in damages. In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the pair claim that Activision Blizzard’s “unlawful 100 percent monopoly” over the league forced them into financially ruinous partnerships at the risk of being unable to compete in the League.

Before the arrival of the Call of Duty League, competitive Call of Duty tournaments were hosted by independent third-party organizers and featured an “open” structure whereby any team could sign up and participate. However, when Activision Blizzard initiated the CDL in 2019, it changed this structure. Instead of offering multiple tournaments to teams throughout the year, there would be only one. Furthermore, Activision limited the League to just 12 teams and required franchising fees in the millions of dollars in order to participate.

The suit offers insight into some of the terms and conditions esports organizations had to agree to in order to participate in the League. Though there have been several reports highlighting that the cost of a berth in the League was between $20 to $25 million dollars, the suit claims that teams had to pay $27.5 million for a franchise slot. The suit also says that organizations were required to pass 50 percent of merchandise and event ticket sales revenue to Activision Blizzard and that the publisher had the exclusive right to sponsorships with the most lucrative advertising partners such as energy drink companies.

Additionally, the suit claims that Activision Blizzard prohibited teams and players from participating in tournaments outside of the League and restricted the ability of individual players to secure their own sponsorships.

One of the examples in the suit described how, in 2020, players were required to sign an agreement binding them to the League’s rules without the ability to have players’ counsel review them — at the risk of being kicked from their team just days before the League was scheduled to start.

Advertisement

Activision Blizzard has been accused of anticompetitive behavior regarding its esports leagues before. In 2023, Activision settled a suit with the US Justice Department over the publisher’s Competitive Balance Tax. The tax, which was present in the ruleset for both the Call of Duty and Overwatch esports leagues, fined teams that paid players over a certain amount and distributed that fine to other participant teams. Though the rule was meant as a kind of salary cap like those seen in professional sports leagues, the DOJ’s filing alleged that the rule would potentially depress player wages. The two leagues voluntarily scrapped the rule in 2021 amid a DOJ investigation.

The new lawsuit builds on these claims. “Activision secured a 100 percent monopoly over the market for professional Call of Duty leagues and tournaments, used that market power to eliminate competition, and forced team owners and players to either exit the market entirely or accept draconian anticompetitive terms that were favorable only for Activision and its monopoly,” it argues. Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Technology

Discord accidentally banned over 8,000 people for posting grids and other ‘benign’ images

Published

on

Discord accidentally banned over 8,000 people for posting grids and other ‘benign’ images

Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord co-founder and chief technology officer, writes that the bug impacted around 200 users who posted “grid-like” pictures, in addition to about 8,000 people who posted “other benign images” since May 2026. “Everyone affected has now been unbanned,” Vishnevskiy says.

In a thread on X, Discord writes that its safety system is designed to flag content by “matching it against known harmful material.” This system can produce “false positives,” Discord explains, which is when an employee would step in to review the flagged content. But instead of just temporarily preventing the account from uploading content during the review, a glitch led its system to ban users entirely.

“When our staff reviewed and cleared those accounts, the same bug prevented the ban from being lifted automatically, so it just stayed in place,” Discord says.

Continue Reading

Technology

Hoto’s PixelDrive screwdriver is down to $60, matching its best price

Published

on

Hoto’s PixelDrive screwdriver is down to , matching its best price

If your Prime Day purchases included a new desk, TV stand, bookshelf, or other furniture you still haven’t assembled, Hoto’s PixelDrive cordless screwdriver can help speed up the process. It’s currently on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date.

From tightening loose screws on furniture to repairing electronics, the PixelDrive is designed to handle a wide range of household projects. Hoto includes 30 screwdriver bits that cover many of the most common screw types, all neatly organized in a small cylindrical case. It also offers six adjustable torque settings, allowing you to use less power when working with fragile electronics or increase it when putting together a desk, bookshelf, TV stand, or other furniture. You can also switch between a slower 80RPM mode for more precise work and a faster 200RPM mode with the press of a button.

Hoto also added several features that make assembling projects a little easier. A built-in display lets you quickly check your current torque setting and remaining battery life, while an integrated LED light helps illuminate dim spaces, whether you’re working under a desk or inside a cabinet. The rechargeable 2,000mAh battery also charges over USB-C, so you won’t need to keep buying disposable batteries.

Continue Reading

Technology

Starship delivery robots leave campuses for cities

Published

on

Starship delivery robots leave campuses for cities

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Those little white robots that once rolled across college sidewalks with lattes, fries and late-night snacks are getting a new assignment. Starship Technologies recently announced that it will wind down its U.S. university campus operations and redeploy more than 1,200 robots toward grocery chains and hot food delivery in cities across the United States and Europe.

If you have ever watched one of these robots patiently wait at a crosswalk like a polite cooler on wheels, you know why students got attached. They became part campus convenience, part mascot. Now, the company is moving from a controlled campus setting into a much tougher public test.

CHINAS ROBOT-RUN HOTEL OPENS TO PUBLIC IN 2027

That raises the bigger question: will these cute campus robots be just as welcome when they start sharing crowded city sidewalks with you?

Advertisement

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

  • Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
  • For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
  • Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Starship is winding down U.S. campus robot operations as it expands grocery delivery in the U.S. and Europe. (Starship)

 

Why Starship is pulling robots from college campuses

Starship says the decision comes down to focus. The company says its grocery delivery operations are on a 10x growth trajectory over the next two years, driven by demand from major retailers in the United States and Europe.

In Finland, Starship says its robots already complete roughly one in five grocery deliveries. That gives the company a real-world model it wants to repeat elsewhere. To support that expansion, more than 1,200 robots from U.S. campus fleets will be moved into grocery delivery. For Starship, that is a major pivot. Campuses helped the company build its brand in the U.S. They also gave the robots a place to learn.

 

Why college campuses were the perfect robot testing ground

Starship made a big U.S. splash at George Mason University in 2019, when the school became the first U.S. university to offer autonomous robot deliveries from Starship. From there, the robots spread to dozens of campuses. That made sense. College students are often hungry at odd hours. Many live without a full kitchen. They also tend to be open to new tech, especially when it brings food to the dorm without small talk.

During the pandemic, contactless delivery became even more appealing. A robot that could roll up with lunch while limiting person-to-person contact suddenly felt useful in a very different way.

Advertisement

 

The campus pullback will not happen overnight

Starship says it has worked with its university campuses and industry partners to keep service running through the 2026–2027 back-to-school season, with transition plans in place to reduce disruption. So, this does not appear to be an instant shutdown where every campus robot disappears at once. Instead, the company is moving away from the university model while preparing its fleet for a bigger push into grocery and restaurant delivery.

For students who loved the bots, it may still feel like the end of an era. For Starship, though, it is a move toward the market where the company believes the economics are stronger. Starship CEO and co-founder Ahti Heinla says the company’s robots can deliver groceries at a cost $3-$4 lower per delivery than traditional courier fulfillment. That is the kind of claim that gets the attention of retailers trying to make last-mile delivery less expensive.

ZOOX ROBOTAXI REDESIGN BRINGS BIG RIDER UPGRADES

 

Why city sidewalks could be a tougher test

The next phase could get messy. Delivery robots have to share sidewalks with people who are walking, pushing strollers, using wheelchairs, carrying groceries or trying to catch a bus. That means every design choice matters. A robot that blocks a curb ramp can create a real problem. A robot that pauses in the wrong spot can turn from cute to irritating fast. If one reverses unexpectedly or gets stuck near a crosswalk, the novelty wears off even faster.

There have already been warning signs. Reports have described delivery robots bumping into people, getting stuck in odd places and raising accessibility concerns. Chicago has also seen local pushback and safety concerns around sidewalk delivery robots, which shows Starship still has work to do if it wants city residents to embrace them. That is the challenge Starship now faces. The same robot that felt charming on a campus may feel like clutter on a narrow sidewalk.

Advertisement

Starship Technologies is shifting more than 1,200 campus delivery robots to grocery and restaurant deliveries in cities. (Starship)

 

What grocery delivery changes

Grocery delivery is a different business from campus food delivery. A college order might be a sandwich, a soda or a late-night snack. A grocery run can involve heavier items, more frequent routes and customers who expect reliability every time. If Starship can make that work, the payoff could be huge. Grocery stores want cheaper local delivery. Customers want speed without sky-high fees. Cities want fewer cars clogging short delivery routes.

Starship says the global food delivery market is now worth $650 billion and needs delivery systems with higher autonomy levels. The company also says it has completed more than 10 million deliveries, which gives it a sizable head start in the sidewalk robot category.

However, the public will need convincing. People may welcome a robot bringing milk and eggs on a rainy night. They may also get annoyed if that same robot blocks a sidewalk during the morning rush. That will all decide whether sidewalk robots become normal or face more local limits.

 

Why Estonia still matters to Starship

Starship was founded in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2014 by Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis. Estonia remains home to the company’s core engineering and AI development team. That is important because this shift is not only about where the robots operate.

Advertisement

 

The big question for robot delivery

Starship’s move shows where the delivery robot business is headed. College campuses helped make the robots likable. Grocery delivery may determine whether they become profitable. Still, the sidewalks belong to the public. That means companies need more than clever machines. They need trust, clear rules and designs that respect people who move through cities in different ways.

A delivery robot should never make a sidewalk harder to use for someone with a cane, stroller or wheelchair. It should not turn public space into an obstacle course. If companies want these robots to feel normal, they need to prove they can operate without making daily life more frustrating.

ARE HUMANOID ROBOTS NOW COMING FOR RETAIL JOBS?

Starship says grocery delivery demand is pushing its robot fleet from college campuses into urban neighborhoods. (Starship)

 

What this means to you

You may start seeing more delivery robots near grocery stores, restaurants and apartment-heavy neighborhoods. If that happens, pay attention to how they behave in your area. Look for whether they yield to pedestrians, avoid curb ramps and handle crowded sidewalks well. Also, check whether your city has rules for personal delivery devices. Some places allow pilot programs, while others limit where these robots can operate.

Advertisement

If a robot causes a problem, document it safely. Take a photo or video, note the location and report it to your city or the delivery company. That is important because local officials need real examples, not vague frustration, when they decide what rules should apply. There is also a privacy angle. These robots use sensors and cameras to navigate. Companies may say the data supports safe operation, but you still deserve clear answers about what gets collected, how long it is kept and whether law enforcement can request it.

 

Watch the CyberGuy Live replay: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes

Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com

 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Starship’s campus exit feels like the end of a quirky era, especially for students who got used to seeing the little robots rolling around campus. But this shift also tells us something bigger about where autonomous delivery is going. The next battle will happen on city sidewalks, not college campuses. If these robots save money and reduce short car trips, they could become very useful. But if they crowd walkways or create safety headaches, people will push back hard. To me, the real test is pretty clear. Robot delivery needs to work for everyone on the sidewalk, including people who never ordered anything.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Would you be ok with a delivery robot on your block, or would you rather keep your sidewalks robot-free? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

Advertisement

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

  • Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
  • For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
  • Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending