Activision Blizzard sued Mara against female character from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

In 2019, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare publisher Activision Blizzard has introduced a new character to their game: an operator named Mara. A writer and photographer now alleges the company intentionally modeled Mara after her own character, Cade Janus, from a short story titled November rebirth.

Plaintiff Clayton Haugen filed a copyright infringement lawsuit on Tuesday in a Texas court, according to court documents first released by Torrent Freak. He alleged that Activision Blizzard and developer Infinity Ward had a deliberate intention to model Mara after Cade Janus – including hiring the same model, Alex Zedra, to replicate the photoshoot and scan her likeness for use in the game. Haugen said the developer posted his photographs of Cade Janus on the photography studio wall during the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare shoot.

Haugen said he initially hired Zedra in 2017 to play Cade Janus before pitching the story to movie studios. He then posted photos on his website, in a calendar and on Instagram.

“In addition to hiring the same talent, they also hired the same makeup professional who had prepared the talent for Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs,” the lawyers wrote in the complaint. “They asked the makeup professional to prepare the talent exactly as she did for Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs. They asked her to style the talent’s hair exactly as she did for Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs, even using the same hair extension.

Haugen alleges that Activision Blizzard and Infinity Ward asked the model and makeup artist to sign nondisclosure agreements to “cover up their intended violation.”

Image: Clayton Haugen / Activision Blizzard via complaint

The character Mara, alongside another character named Nikto, has been added to Call of Duty: Modern warfare in 2019. The character was available as part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season One Battle Pass, which was originally available for 1,000 COD Points, or roughly $ 10. A number of skins are available for the character for additional COD points. One, the Kawaii Cat Skin, puts Mara in a cat-eared military helmet and unlocks a kitten charm, called “Nyan Nyan,” which hangs from her weapon. The package costs 2400 COD points.

Neither Haugen nor Activision Blizzard responded to Polygon’s request for comment.

You can read a full copy of the complaint below.