It’s war of the Warzones between Activision and Randy Ficker

Did you know there’s a game called Warzone that’s not a Call of Duty battle royale mode? It’s a turn-based strategy game available on mobile platforms and PC browsers that was developed largely by one person and launched in 2017, years before Call of Duty took the name. It’s a bit like Risk and it’s Randy Ficker’s baby that he started in 2011 as WarLight.

Randy Ficker wants Activision to stop using his game’s name, or pay him, so he sent Activision a cease and desist notice in 2020. Activision’s counter-complaint points out a dozen other mobile games that came out after Call of Duty: Warzone launched that they feel cannot be confused with their non-mobile game. Ficker says in his GoFundMe appeal that his game was first to market and he’s the one that’s been saddled with confused Call of Duty players horning in on his business.

“People tell me all about how their Xbox can’t connect, or how their PS4 got hacked, how they wish they could carry teammates, etc. My game isn’t even on Xbox or PS4. I send the same reply to each of them: ‘Warzone and Call of Duty: Warzone are different games. You should contact Activision.'”

War never changes.