Major Shake Up At Infinity Ward Studios!

[Maestro]

http://www.mw2blog.com/infinity-ward-studio-heads-no-longer-with-the-team/

http://www.mw2blog.com/activision-confirms-infinity-ward-shake-up/

It seems some strange things are going down at Infinity Ward HQ today. In an SEC filing made this morning, Activision cited a human resources investigation into “breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward.”

“This matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation,” read the filing. “At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company.”

It all started this morning when a “bunch of bouncer-types” just showed up outside of the Infinity Ward offices unannounced. When approached by employees, the non-uniformed “bouncers” were unwilling to disclose why they were there.

Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West reportedly met with Activision this morning and have not been seen by Infinity Ward staff members. It has since transpired that they have been fired and are no longer part of the team.

According to his LinkedIn profile, West, IW’s president, is no longer employed; the profile states that he was with Infinity Ward up until “March 2010″.

West’s Facebook page also states he is “no longer employed”.

Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling has vaguely addressed the situation via Twitter.

“I should also say, while I appreciate all the calls, tweets, messages and hearing my ringtone a lot, they’re in vain – as I have no info.”

The mood around the Infinity Ward offices is currently described as “freaked out” and “confused”. “We just wanna make our games,” said the source.

I’ll keep you updated with any new developments.

After all the fuss today about the two studio heads at Infinity Ward being dismissed due to “breaches of contract and insubordination”, Activision has officially confirmed Vince Zampella and Jason West are no longer employed at the award winning development studio.

According to the official announcement big changes are afoot at IW with Activision Publishing chief technology officer Steve Pearce and head of production Steve Ackrich heading up the development house on “an interim basis.” Furthermore, Call of Duty-related business will now be overseen by Philip Earl (now ex-head of Activision’s Asia-Pacific region).

News first broke of the IW shake up early this morning and slowly over the day we have arrived at this official announcement from Activision. While certain confirmation, it still explains little as to the reasons for the firings.

Long story short, two of the heads at Infinity Ward were fired, and Sledgehammer Games is suspected to be put in charge of Modern Warfare 3. All the while IW will be working on another project and a Call of Duty MMOG.

I wasn't the biggest fan of MW2(more of a COD4 man myself)but this is bad for the franchise. IW has made all of the best COD's and now they might not be in charge of the next one. They started the first "true story" in the COD series so they should be able to finish it. The good times had to end soon i guess.[/QUOTE]

 

[IamMedellin]

So I hear activision is gonna whore out the COD franchise like they did the Guitar Hero Franchise....and Tony Hawk...

and apparently Subscription based online service is the next step...

good times...good times

 

[Maestro]

So I hear activision is gonna whore out the COD franchise like they did the Guitar Hero Franchise....and Tony Hawk...

and apparently Subscription based online service is the next step...

good times...good times

Yeah i think thats what the MMOG is about.

 

[CrimsonGhost56]

the two guys fired are suing activision

quick summary of what its all about

WHAT HAPPENED: The two developers were promised royalties as part of their contract for Modern Warfare 2. They're claiming Activision fired them under false pretenses in order to avoid paying those royalties.

The lawsuit then gives background about the company, including alleging that Activision purposely gave Infinity Ward a small budget for Call of Duty in order to buy 30% of its stock for cheap since the small budget would keep them from fighting it.

It also states some things we all know; sales figures, revenue numbers, etc. West and Zampella (the two developers and plaintiffs) had only one year on their contract before MW2 started. They were reluctant to get an extension on their contract, but did so anyway because Activision promised complete control of IW AND creative control over any post-Vietnam Call of Duty and MW games that might be developed.

Blah, blah, blah; more sales figures and talks of how MW2 was praised upon release. Activision then launched the investigation of Zampella and West about a week after the release of MW2. They hired outside lawyers and investigators to question other employees (some of whom cried from anxiety) and threatened insubordination charges if the two plaintiffs tried to console the other employees.

West and Zampella then said they were going to talk to their lawyers, at which point they were told Activision would make things worse if they did. The two men were also never told what exactly they had done wrong at any given point during the investigation. Activision strung the investigation along, then gave the two IW guys about six hours to respond to the accusations. A couple days later, Activision announced the new Call of Duty games they want to make (which were posted in another article).

WHAT THEY WANT: The first claim is to about US$36 million in damages. Second, they also want control of the Modern Warfare franchise back, since that was what was promised. Third, they also say Activision cannot make any further MW games OR post-Vietnam Call of Duties set in the present, near future, or far future. Fourth, they feel that Activision owes them their royalties and bonuses regardless of whether or not their termination from IW was legitimate. And obviously, they want their attorney fees covered.

And that's about it. I may have misread the complaint a bit, so feel free to correct me

interesting tidbit from the complaint filed

giong up against a multi-million dollar company doesnt usually work out in your favor, but should be interesting to see how it plays out cause if somehow they do win no more modern warfare game from activision

 

[MrBill]

Wow. Way to go Activision.

 

[MvP]

Looks like the Call of Duty series is over for me.

 

[leaffan]

Well looks like Activision did the right thing....

http://gameinformer.com/b/news/arch...ments-tying-ex-infinity-ward-heads-to-ea.aspx

 

[Blade]

Well looks like Activision did the right thing....

http://gameinformer.com/b/news/arch...ments-tying-ex-infinity-ward-heads-to-ea.aspx

I can't read that link at work, whats it say?

 

[Houston]

They came, I had fun, guess it's over now.




no homo.

 

[MrBill]

That stuff still reeks of Activision trying to get out of paying these guys their money. Unless Activision can prove the nature of their discussions with EA, it could easily be that they were discussing previous versions of the game that EA released. Activision is going to have to prove with a smoking gun that they (West/Zampenella) were acting in bad faith by working with EA on a future release while under contract with them.

 

[Twigg4075]

Well looks like Activision did the right thing....

http://gameinformer.com/b/news/arch...ments-tying-ex-infinity-ward-heads-to-ea.aspx

The story could go either way, I haven't read that much into it. But I love how almost everyone assumed that Activision was in the wrong here. God forbid the allmighty Infinity Ward could be the assholes in this situation! They makez the bestez gamez everz!

Personally, over the past few years I've come to think that IW has a 'holier than thou', 'can't be touched attitude' and it disgusts me.

 

[Buzzman]

Personally I liek Treyarch just as much but hey if you dont like COD with Treyarch, Battlefield Bad Company 2 is amazing and Medal of Honor is just around the corner.

 

[leaffan]

The story could go either way, I haven't read that much into it. But I love how almost everyone assumed that Activision was in the wrong here. God forbid the allmighty Infinity Ward could be the assholes in this situation! They makez the bestez gamez everz!

Personally, over the past few years I've come to think that IW has a 'holier than thou', 'can't be touched attitude' and it disgusts me.

Yah I usually take the whole innocent before proven guilty.

This story though is all over the place and like it said in the article basically there has already been a ton of rumours and speculation, well there's going to be a ton more now.

 

[Twigg4075]

Personally I liek Treyarch just as much but hey if you dont like COD with Treyarch, Battlefield Bad Company 2 is amazing and Medal of Honor is just around the corner.

I feel the same way. I never understood why Treyarch got such a bad rap.

 

[Tengo Juego]

Treyarch's last few efforts seemed to piggy back IW's work. I cant say they are bad developers, I'm just not impressed with new coats of paint on what I've already played.

I'm a little anxious to find out what's really going on here.

 

[Twigg4075]

That stuff still reeks of Activision trying to get out of paying these guys their money. Unless Activision can prove the nature of their discussions with EA, it could easily be that they were discussing previous versions of the game that EA released. Activision is going to have to prove with a smoking gun that they (West/Zampenella) were acting in bad faith by working with EA on a future release while under contract with them.

Really? Because it looks like the other way around to me. If IW had an exclusive contract with Activision, which they did, then it would be a breach of that contract to even talk or shop around ideas to other companies.

It seems to me that in typical IW fashion these guys felt like their shit didn't stinka nd their greed got the best of them. They got a ton of money in the Activision deal but that wasn't good enough so they tried shopping themselves around to EA and possibly others.

Hmmm, this seems eerily familiar to when these jackholes left EA in the first place when they decided they were bored with and too good for the Medal of Honor series.