Ex-Infinity Ward heads sue Activision
The recently fired Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella are now suing Activision.
Activision reportedly sent in security to the studios of the Modern Warfare 2 developer and fired both Jason and Vince, who had been with the studio for more than nine years, for "insubordination". That insubordination is rumoured to have involved complaining about how the team had never received any of the royalties that were promised from Modern Warfare 2, as well as approaching other publishers as the situation deteriorated.
"Activision has refused to honour the terms of its agreements and is intentionally flouting the fundamental public policy of this State (California) that employers must pay their employees what they have rightfully earned," said their attorney Robert Schwartz.
"Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public, last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual 'investigation' into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of 'insubordination' and 'breach of fiduciary duty,' which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1."
Activision meanwhile has announced the formation of a new department to manage the Call of Duty brand, which will include bringing new studios and making many more games, some of which will focus on "high margin digital content".
The duo's lawsuit alleges breach of contract, violation of public policy and wrongful termination, among others.
"After all we have given to Activision, we shouldn't have to sue to get paid," added Zampella.
Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Previous Article
31 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyThere, fixed for you.
'After all this' -What, a few internal HR issues that 99% of people who bought/will buy the game will never hear about? Yeah, thats a really critical deciding factor when choosing a game
their bosses' bosses.
Bobby Kotick.
fixed
And their Bosses' Bosses' Bosses. And their Bosses' Bosses' Bosses' Bosses.
So i ask you again brothers "What have Activision EVER done for us?"
Irrigation?
Bindi. Probably.
Josh
BC2 will not be crap like that, dedi servers ftw
The aquaduct ?
It's a shame companies don't seem to learn from history. Without creators making product for them, they got nothing. So pay them their damn royalties and be nice!
Oh, and the roads. :D
I'm sure IW would've liked to say the release date was "when it's done", but it seems like publishers and their shareholders had different ideas.
Public baths.
But sadly, not peace by the look of it...
Or if there isn't, I'm sure they'll find a way to make it look like there is. I'm pretty sure Activision are utter *******s, though there are few companies who aren't, these days (Valve?).
As to the game, I played the COD series right from COD1 up until the demo of MW1, and I was never that much of a fan. Always seemed like porncorn gaming: kinda moreish, but you never felt satisfied. From the reports thus far, it seems that MW2 is more of the same, so until it hits the bargain bin I'll skip it.
Interesting claims such as a six hour interegation by activision without them knowing what they were being charged with and other employees being brought to tears.
Unfortunately unless they can get a few other employees to come forward and testify they've no real hard evidence it seems
But apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have Activision ever done for us?
Sounds like greed is at the bottom of this, whether from the IW guys or Activison.
I just hope whoever is being a greedy barsteward gets their cum-uppance.
The vomitarium?
A friendly consumer experience?
18-player caps?
IWNet?
??
Edit: Viruses??