(Reuters) - Video game giant Activision sued in Los Angeles federal court for a declaration that its "Call of Duty: Warzone" doesn't infringe trademark rights owned by Warzone.com LLC, which makes a web-based strategy game also called "Warzone".

The complaint filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California said that Warzone.com had threatened to seek "massive damages" from Activision for trademark infringement, as well as orders blocking Activision from using the "Warzone" name or registering a trademark covering it.

Randy Ficker, the developer of the Warzone.com game, said Activision's 2020 launch of "Call of Duty: Warzone" caused "significant consumer confusion" and had a "large impact" on his business.

"The defendant named in this suit has baselessly threatened the company," an Activision spokesman said. "We are filing this action so the court can reject his frivolous and irresponsible claims."

Activision's Warzone is a multiplayer battle-royale game, and part of its popular "Call of Duty" first-person shooter series.

"Call of Duty: Warzone could not be more different from Defendant's game, a low-budget, niche virtual board game like Hasbro's Risk," the complaint said. "Indeed, it is inconceivable that any member of the public could confuse the two products or believe that they are affiliated with or related to each other."

Activision says the dispute began after it applied to register "Call of Duty Warzone" and "Warzone" trademarks at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in June. Warzone.com filed for its own federal "Warzone" marks in October, and opposed Activision's applications.

The complaint says the parties' negotiations broke down earlier this week.

The case is Activision Publishing Inc. v. Warzone.com LLC, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No. 2:21-cv-03073.

For Activision: Marc Mayer and Karin Pagnanelli of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp

(NOTE: This story has been updated with comment from Activision.)