Unfair Play: The Lawsuit Against Activision for Limiting eSports Player Salaries
Did you know that video games are more than just a hobby?
They’ve become a big business with millions of fans around the world. But what happens when a video game company limits the salaries of its eSports players?
That’s exactly what’s happening to Activision, the company behind popular games like Overwatch and Call of Duty. The US Department of Justice is suing Activision for allegedly illegally limiting the pay of its eSports league players. Let’s dive into the details.
Activision and the teams agreed to impose rules aimed at reducing competition for the best players. They called this the “competitive balance tax,” and teams were fined if they paid their players more than a certain amount. The fine was then distributed among the teams that complied with the rules.
But the Department of Justice claims that these salary limits hurt the professional players competing in the leagues, as they earned less money than they should have. The Department of Justice also requires Activision to certify that it has ended the competitive balance tax, implement whistleblower protection measures, and notify and explain the final judgment to the teams and players in its leagues.
As eSports and video games continue to grow in popularity, it’s crucial that companies like Activision do not exploit their players for profit.
What do you think about this lawsuit? Should companies be allowed to limit player salaries in eSports leagues?