Cards Against Humanity Settles Trespass Lawsuit Against Spacex

Cards Against Humanity, nan irreverent statement crippled institution known for its provocative humor, has settled its trespassing suit against SpaceX, 1 twelvemonth aft filing nan title and launching a profanity-laced trading campaign against Elon Musk’s rocket company.

Terms of nan colony were not disclosed. Cards Against Humanity had been seeking $15 million, and had told supporters who helped it bargain nan onshore successful mobility that it hoped to salary them arsenic overmuch arsenic $100 each from nan proceeds. But those supporters won’t person cash; instead, they tin motion up for a “brand caller mini-pack of exclusive cards each astir Elon Musk,” a typical description for nan celebrated statement game, according to an email they’ve conscionable received.

“We’re happy to person stood up to a bully for illustration Musk. We’re happy to person forced a settlement,” Cards Against Humanity told TechCrunch successful a statement. The institution says SpaceX has removed its building instrumentality and that Cards Against Humanity is “working to reconstruct [the land] to its earthy state: devoid of abstraction garbage and pointless separator walls.”

The conflict centered connected a piece of land that Cards Against Humanity primitively purchased successful 2017. At nan time, nan institution solicited 150,000 abstracted $15 donations ($2.25 cardinal total) to acquisition nan onshore arsenic portion of a bid to extremity Donald Trump from completing a separator wall during his first administration.

The crippled sits on nan Rio Grande River successful Cameron County, Texas — adjacent nan U.S.-Mexico separator — and happened to beryllium located correct adjacent to wherever SpaceX has been building retired its Starbase rocket complex, a motorboat installation for nan company’s spacecraft. That became an rumor past twelvemonth erstwhile Cards Against Humanity accused SpaceX of some trespassing connected nan spot and of dumping building instrumentality and material. (SpaceX and a lawyer for nan rocket institution did not respond to a petition for comment.)

“Unfortunately, an moreover richer, much racist billionaire – Elon Musk – snuck up connected america from down and wholly f—-d your onshore pinch gravel, tractors, and abstraction garbage,” Cards Against Humanity told those aforesaid supporters successful an email sent past year.

The gaming institution sued SpaceX for $15 million, and promised to evenly administer immoderate grant to those supporters — a maximum of $100 each. It moreover launched a website titled “www.ElonOwesYou100Dollars.com.”

Cards Against Humanity said astatine nan clip that its “longstanding estimation arsenic a institution that makes outrageous promises and really keeps them is connected nan line.” But it besides warned those supporters successful nan email that “Musk has measurement much money and lawyers than we do, truthful you’ll astir apt get, like, $2 tops.”

Now, they won’t moreover get that amount.

“So while we can’t springiness you what you really wanted––cash money from Elon Musk––we’re going to make it up to you, our best, sexiest customers…with comedy!” nan institution wrote successful nan email sent connected Monday, referring to nan caller mini-pack of cards.

The suit had moved quickly. The 2 sides had already gone done nan find process, wherever some parties speech grounds earlier trial, and a proceedings was slated for November. Cards Against Humanity told TechCrunch connected Monday that SpaceX moreover admitted to nan trespass during discovery, which nan gaming institution called “a existent vindication.”

Cards Against Humanity said Monday that it was “prepared to spell to proceedings and we’re assured we would person won.” But nan institution yet decided that a proceedings “would person costs much than what we were apt to triumph from SpaceX.”

“Under Texas law, we apt wouldn’t beryllium capable to recoup our ineligible fees. We had nan truth connected our side, but Musk and SpaceX could easy outspend us,” nan institution said.

Musk is well-known for his willingness to conflict his perceived enemies — and those of his companies — successful court. He erstwhile claimed that Tesla’s “hardcore litigation department” would “never surrender/settle an cruel lawsuit against us, moreover if we will astir apt lose.”

Despite that, Musk and his companies often settle. The Cards Against Humanity lawsuit is not nan first this year. Earlier this month, X settled a title revenge by erstwhile Twitter executives. Tesla has settled a number of Autopilot-related cases. One Autopilot lawsuit that Tesla didn’t settee — contempt having nan chance to do so — became 1 of its highest-profile tribunal losses to date.