FTC Says Activision Will Be Refunding Over $1.2 Billion For Bad Movie-Tie In Games

The Federal Trade Commission has won their claim against Activision regarding movie tie-in games. With this ruling the Santa Monica based publisher now has to refund purchases for dozens of offending games. The historic ruling comes days after the FTC also won a court battle forcing Apple to refund $32 million worth of in-app purchases that parents didn't know children were buying on their iPhones.

"Much like the Apple settlement, we feel the need to the protect consumers from their children unfairly convincing them to spend money on something when they aren't aware of how bad it is," said FTC spokesman Peter Kaplan in a post-hearing address. "We are fully aware that no sane parent actually meant to buy Madagascar or any of those god-awful Disney games. Parents take their children to see these movies and unwittingly buy the games thinking they're equally as enjoyable. What they're met with is broken platforming mechanics and collecting useless garbage until their eyes bleed. "

Activision will be on the hook for all movie based games that annoying screaming kids demanded their parents buy without actually knowing the quality of them, dating back to the game based on "A Bug's Life" released in 1996. Unsurprisingly, the publisher was disappointed with the verdict and plans to appeal.

"We don't feel like parents were being ripped off by the quality of our games," claimed one Activision lawyer in a post-hearing press conference, "We feel a lot of our customers enjoyed 007: Legends and Battleship, two quality games we've released in the last two years. Everyone loved those, right? Did I mention we also publish Call of Duty?"

Several angry parents disagreed, picketing outside of the courtrooms holding flaming boxes of both games (among many others) and demanding their money back. One such parent felt he should be refunded more than the games $60 values, telling Texture Pop Gaming the distress and mental abuse of watching his six-year-old stumble through playing Shrek: Forever After was much more than $60 worth of personal suffering. "Have you seen that game? For fucks sake, there's a button to make the donkey sing. I can't take it anymore. I didn't know it would be like this. Make it stop!"

The only exception to the ruling is the 2006 game Over the Hedge. According to court documents, Activision will not be responsible for refunding the game because "parents knew what they were getting into when they saw that movie. Frankly, they deserve to watch their kids play it."