Update: Activision offered this statement regarding the lawsuit: "Activision's cross-complaint filed today against Jason West and Vince Zampella makes clear that the company did not arrive at its decision to fire them lightly or without good reason. It further shows Activision was forced to sever the relationship when it became apparent that long-standing attempts failed to convince West and Zampella to conform their conduct to what was required of them by their contracts, company policies and as fiduciaries."
Original: You probably already know all about the firing and subsequent lawsuit filed against publisher Activision by ex-Infinity Ward co-heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, but did you know about the countersuit filed by Activision against the duo in the Los Angeles Superior Court this morning? LA Times' Company Town blog got its eyes on the suit, which contends West and Zampella "morphed from valued, responsible executives into insubordinate and self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain."
The suit further details that specific allegation, claiming the two took, "a secret trip by private jet to Northern California, arranged by their Hollywood agent, to meet with the most senior executives of Activision's closest competitor," who we're understanding to be the Redwood Shores-based Electronic Arts. When asked for comment about the allegations, EA spokesperson Jeff Brown responded (with this totally sick burn), "We don't have the time to comment on the many lawsuits Activision files against its employees and creative partners."
If all of that wasn't enough, the 23-page document also claims that West and Zampella "delayed pre-production" of a third Modern Warfare game, and tried to "prevent Activision from awarding additional compensation to [IW] team members" so that the two could easily poach former co-workers from Infinity Ward. Whoa whoa whoa, another Modern Warfare game you say? Madness!
Reader Comments (63)
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:50PM Death Threat said
Oh boy, here we go with the back and forth lawsuit-calling business.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:50PM qbert18 said
Jeff Brown is my new favorite person.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 6:42PM OnToGloryReturns said
Awesome quote from the EA guy.
It's a lot easier for me to believe in a respected dev like IW over the shallow, money grubbing publisher that Activision is. I think their was a point when their rep was in the toilet that EA 'got it' and started publishing really diverse, quality products and won back many gamers (including me and I used to rip them).
Activision had already lost me as a customer, not to mention without GH and COD their lineup sucks. If Blur or Singularity turn out any good I'll pick em up used - no more of my money goes to them after paying $65 to beta test MW2 (and yes, IW has responsibility in that too).
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It's a lot easier for me to believe in a respected dev like IW over the shallow, money grubbing publisher that Activision is. I think their was a point when their rep was in the toilet that EA 'got it' and started publishing really diverse, quality products and won back many gamers (including me and I used to rip them).
Activision had already lost me as a customer, not to mention without GH and COD their lineup sucks. If Blur or Singularity turn out any good I'll pick em up used - no more of my money goes to them after paying $65 to beta test MW2 (and yes, IW has responsibility in that too).
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:50PM OzCueball said
CAT FIGHT!!!!
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:51PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
Yeah let's release yet another MW game. Can even make it worse!
P.S. - This is all under my own personal opinion of the game so please don't get your panties in a wedgie.
P.S. - This is all under my own personal opinion of the game so please don't get your panties in a wedgie.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:55PM Nate Addison said
I'm really hoping MoH blows this out of the water. It's already looking like it has my pre-order support. Just need that final nudge.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:17PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
Everyone hates the popular girl. MW2 is a fun game, that I still play the hell out of, and the new maps are well done. BF:BC2 is a different style of game, that has some great points, but it hardly blows anything out of the water.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:20PM Spike Spiegel Humble Bounty Hun said
I give MW2 it's credit, just not my game.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:51PM SirUrza said
Just close Infinity Ward and move on already.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:59PM (Unverified) said
Looks like that will happen pretty soon at this rate.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:54PM (Unverified) said
"We don't have the time to comment on the many lawsuits Activision files against its employees and creative partners."
Burn! feel the hEAt Activision?
Burn! feel the hEAt Activision?
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:54PM MarkHawk said
"We don't have the time to comment on the many lawsuits Activision files against its employees and creative partners."
Can I get this on a T-shirt?
Can I get this on a T-shirt?
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 6:00PM The Aquacharger said
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:55PM TraceurRyuk Prepping for LBP2 said
EA is pretty awesome nowadays...
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:59PM Death Threat said
They lost their evil bastard sauce. They searched and searched and searched, but just couldn't find it. It eventually found it's way into this guy's bag, and mistaking it for his diet coke, drank it down. Sometime later, he became CEO of Activision.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 5:00PM Death Threat said
They lost their evil bastard sauce. They searched and searched and searched, but just couldn't find it. It eventually found it's way into this guy's bag, and mistaking it for his diet coke, drank it down. Sometime later, he became CEO of Activision.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 9:05PM Stevetrop Man of Mystery said
It's as if we warped into Bizzaro land,
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:56PM Mcmax3000 said
I think the quote from EA might be the greatest quote from a company executive ever.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:07PM technoKyle said
Except for Tim Schafer's "should have put a ring on it" quote, maybe.
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:56PM (Unverified) said
"We don't have the time to comment on the many lawsuits Activision files against its employees and creative partners."
OH SNAP! EA, I don't know when you became cool again, but thanks for that laugh.
OH SNAP! EA, I don't know when you became cool again, but thanks for that laugh.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:56PM BloodShotRobot said
Does that third degree burn indicate that Jeff Brown considers Jason West and Vince Zampella to be "creative partners" with EA?
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:07PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:58PM Snarf said
All is forgiven.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 3:59PM Reinhart said
So the truth comes out! (another version if it)
Oh man, the counter-suit's even more insidious. Preventing additional compensation? WHAT? That's wrong.
Not saying I buy any of it, or not.
Oh man, the counter-suit's even more insidious. Preventing additional compensation? WHAT? That's wrong.
Not saying I buy any of it, or not.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:25PM SystemPatch said
They tried to "prevent Activision from awarding additional compensation to [IW] team members"
Something about this sounds suspicious... if they were trying to do this, they managed to do it unintentionally, as Activision withheld bonuses anyway, and if they weren't doing this, then it sounds like Activision is trying to twist words to pass the blame onto them.
either way, IW won't be the same, that's for sure.
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Something about this sounds suspicious... if they were trying to do this, they managed to do it unintentionally, as Activision withheld bonuses anyway, and if they weren't doing this, then it sounds like Activision is trying to twist words to pass the blame onto them.
either way, IW won't be the same, that's for sure.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:00PM killer rin said
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Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:00PM Eternz said
Ah that comment by Jeff was so dry and brief but contains more awesome then Kotick could fit in his face.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:03PM Dr Blight said
Jeff Brown should be Person of the Year.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:04PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
"morphed from valued, responsible executives into insubordinate and self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain."
Surely taken from Kotick's personal management handbook.
Surely taken from Kotick's personal management handbook.
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:08PM (Unverified) said
Get 'em EA!
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:08PM technoKyle said
Ouch! Want some ice for that burn?
Also, was I the only one who thought of this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34mEP-qW1nk&feature=player_embedded
Also, was I the only one who thought of this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34mEP-qW1nk&feature=player_embedded
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:32PM Halgrimur said
"morphed from valued, responsible executives into insubordinate and self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain."---Is it just me or is that a perfect description of Darth Kotick?!
Posted: Apr 9th 2010 4:41PM Mr Khan said
I would find it hard to believe that West and Zampella would be courting EA again, given that that's where they jumped ship from in the first place (and received very significant aid from Activision to start Infinity Ward)
Though i imagined something like this would happen, and that there is again certain probable cause on Activision's part to launch this suit.
Remember that these aren't humble artists. These guys are millionaires too, who are looking to make as much money out of this as they can. This isn't another case of corporate evil crushing the little guy, this is closer to something like MLB strikes.
Though i imagined something like this would happen, and that there is again certain probable cause on Activision's part to launch this suit.
Remember that these aren't humble artists. These guys are millionaires too, who are looking to make as much money out of this as they can. This isn't another case of corporate evil crushing the little guy, this is closer to something like MLB strikes.
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