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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

11. Commitments and Contingencies

Lease Commitments

We have entered into operating leases for facilities. As of June 30, 2017, future minimum lease payments related to these leases are as follows (in thousands):

 

Year ending December 31:

 

 

 

 

Remaining 2017

 

$

2,406

 

2018

 

 

3,925

 

2019

 

 

3,067

 

2020

 

 

1,006

 

2021

 

 

657

 

2022 and thereafter

 

 

33

 

Total

 

$

11,094

 

 

Licensor and Marketing Commitments

We have entered into several contracts with licensors that contain minimum guarantee payments and marketing commitments that may not be dependent on any deliverables. As of June 30, 2017, future minimum guarantee royalty payments due to licensors and marketing commitments for the licensed products are as follows (in thousands):

 

Year ending December 31:

 

 

 

 

Remaining 2017

 

$

13,275

 

2018

 

 

8,141

 

2019

 

 

7,750

 

2020

 

 

2,250

 

2021 and thereafter

 

 

6,399

 

Total

 

$

37,815

 

 

The amounts represented in the table above for marketing commitments reflect our minimum cash obligations for the respective calendar years based on contractual terms, but do not necessarily represent the periods in which they will be expensed in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

Other Purchase Commitments

We have entered into several contracts for hosting of data systems and other services. As of June 30, 2017, future minimum purchase commitments that have initial or remaining non-cancelable terms are as follows (in thousands):

 

Year ending December 31:

 

 

 

 

Remaining 2017

 

$

5,889

 

2018

 

 

3,432

 

2019

 

 

1,278

 

2020 and thereafter

 

 

285

 

Total

 

$

10,884

 

Legal Matters

We are involved in legal and regulatory proceedings on an ongoing basis. Some of these proceedings are in early stages and may seek an indeterminate amount of damages. If we believe that a loss arising from such matters is probable and can be reasonably estimated, we accrue the estimated liability in our financial statements. If only a range of estimated losses can be determined, we accrue an amount within the range that, in our judgment, reflects the most likely outcome; if none of the estimates within that range is a better estimate than any other amount, we accrue the low end of the range. For proceedings in which an unfavorable outcome is reasonably possible but not probable and an estimate of the loss or range of losses arising from the proceeding can be made, we have disclosed such an estimate, if material. If such a loss or range of losses is not reasonably estimable, we have disclosed that fact. In assessing the materiality of a proceeding, we evaluate, among other factors, the amount of monetary damages claimed, as well as the potential impact of non-monetary remedies sought by plaintiffs that may require us to change our business practices in a manner that could have a material adverse impact on our business. There are no amounts accrued for legal and regulatory proceedings for which we believe a loss is probable as of June 30, 2017.  We recognize legal expenses as incurred.

Derivative Litigation

Since August 3, 2012, eight stockholder derivative lawsuits have been filed in State or Federal courts in California and Delaware purportedly on behalf of the Company against certain current and former directors and executive officers of the Company. The derivative plaintiffs allege that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties and violated California Corporations Code section 25402 in connection with our initial public offering in December 2011 and our secondary offering in April 2012 by allegedly making false or misleading statements regarding the Company’s business and financial projections.

Beginning on August 3, 2012, three of the actions were filed in San Francisco County Superior Court. On October 2, 2012, the court consolidated those three actions as In re Zynga Shareholder Derivative Litigation, Lead Case CGC-12-522934. On March 14, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint in that consolidated California state action. On March 21, 2013, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action pending the ruling on the motion to dismiss in a related federal securities class action. On March 24, 2014, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action pending a ruling on a motion to dismiss the First Amended Complaint in the federal securities class action. On April 24, 2015, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action until the Delaware Chancery Court ruled on the defendants’ motion to stay or dismiss in the action described below. On May 2, 2016, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action until final resolution of plaintiff’s appeal in the Delaware derivative action that is discussed in further detail below. At a status conference on March 8, 2017, the Court stayed the action until August 2, 2017, in light of the Company’s formation of a special litigation committee discussed below. At a status conference on August 2, 2017, the Court extended the stay in the action until September 29, 2017.

Beginning on August 16, 2012, four stockholder derivative actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. On December 3, 2012, the court consolidated these four actions as In re Zynga Inc. Derivative Litigation, Lead Case No. 12-CV-4327-JSW. On March 11, 2013, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action pending the ruling on the motion to dismiss in a related federal securities class action. On March 21, 2014, the court issued an order continuing the stay pending a ruling on a motion to dismiss the First Amended Complaint in the federal securities class action. On April 27, 2015, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action until the Delaware Chancery Court ruled on the defendants’ motion to stay or dismiss in the action described below.  On April 27, 2016, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action until final resolution of plaintiff’s appeal in the Delaware derivative action discussed below. On January 26, 2017, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties providing for a further stay of this action until July 14, 2017. The parties are scheduled to provide a status report to the court on or before August 14, 2017.

On April 4, 2014, a derivative action was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware captioned Sandys v. Pincus, et al. Case No. 9512-CB. On December 9, 2014, the defendants filed a motion to stay or dismiss the action. The court held a hearing on defendants’ motion on November 17, 2015, and on February 29, 2016, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss. On March 29, 2016, plaintiff filed a notice of appeal of the court’s order dismissing the action.  On December 5, 2016, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the Court of Chancery’s dismissal and remanded the case for further proceedings. On June 7, 2017, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties staying the action through July 31, 2017, in light of the Company’s formation of a special litigation committee.  On July 18, 2017, the court endorsed a stipulation among the parties continuing the stay in the action through September 7, 2017.

The derivative actions include claims for, among other things, unspecified damages in favor of the Company, certain corporate actions to purportedly improve the Company’s corporate governance, and an award of costs and expenses to the derivative plaintiffs, including attorneys’ fees. Because the derivative actions are in the early stages of the litigation process, we are not in a position to assess whether any loss or adverse effect on our financial condition is probable or remote, or to estimate the range of potential loss, if any.

As discussed above, on February 3, 2017, our Board of Directors established a special litigation committee (the “Special Litigation Committee”) currently consisting of Janice Roberts and Carol Mills to investigate the claims asserted against certain former and current officers and directors of the Company in the shareholder derivative suits described above (collectively, the “Derivative Litigation”). The Board determined that each member of the Special Litigation Committee is disinterested and independent with respect to the Derivative Litigation. The Special Litigation Committee will determine what actions are appropriate and in the best interests of the Company, and decide whether it is in the best interests of the Company to pursue, dismiss or consensually resolve the claims asserted in the Derivative Litigation. The Special Litigation Committee’s findings and determinations shall be final and not subject to review by our Board of Directors and in all respects shall be binding upon the Company.

Mayer et al. v. Zynga

On March 31, 2017, Umrao Mayer, George Simmons, Zindagi Games, Inc., and Cam Tech Building, LLC initiated an arbitration against the Company.  In their Statement of Claims, the claimants assert five claims for relief, including Breach of Contracts, Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Estoppel, Conversion, and Declaratory Relief with Respect to Unlawful Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Agreements.  The primary allegations made by the claimants are that the Company breached an Asset Purchase Agreement dated December 30, 2015 (the “Zindagi Acquisition Agreement”) by failing to provide the claimants an opportunity to achieve an earnout payment, is unlawfully withholding an escrow payment due under the Zindagi Acquisition Agreement, improperly terminated Messrs. Mayer and Simmons on November 29, 2016, breached a lease agreement, and required Messrs. Mayer and Simmons to enter into unlawful employment agreements.  The claimants assert that they are entitled to compensatory damages in excess of $60 million, the release of $875,000 plus interest being held in escrow, exemplary damages, damages for the remaining lease payments, declaratory relief, and attorneys’ fees and costs.  On May 1, 2017, the Company filed its response, including a general denial of the allegations and a counterclaim for $2.5 million due to the termination of Messrs. Mayer and Simmons for “Cause” under the Zindagi Acquisition Agreement.  The Company is also seeking its attorneys’ fees and costs.  The arbitration hearing date has been set for January 29, 2018.  While there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, the Company believes it has a meritorious counterclaim and defenses and will vigorously defend this action, and, accordingly, believes a loss, while possible, is not probable for this action.  Further, because this action is in its early stages, the Company does not believe a reasonable estimate of potential loss or range of potential loss, if any, is determinable at this time.

Other

The Company is, at various times, also party to various other legal proceedings and claims not previously discussed which arise in the ordinary course of business. In addition, we may receive notifications alleging infringement of patent or other intellectual property rights. Adverse results in any such litigation, legal proceedings or claims may include awards of substantial monetary damages, expensive legal fees, costly royalty or licensing agreements, or orders preventing us from offering certain games, features, or services, and may also result in changes in our business practices, which could result in additional costs or a loss of revenue for us and could otherwise harm our business. Although the results of such litigation cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that the amount or range of reasonably possible losses related to such pending or threatened litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, cash flows, or financial condition should such litigation be resolved unfavorably.