Another day has seen the departure of two more senior staff members from developer Infinity Ward, Kotaku reports. Following yesterday's exodus of seven staffers from the Call of Duty creator and studio responsible for Modern Warfare 1 and 2, lead animator Mark Grigsby and lead character animator John Paul Messerly have updated their LinkedIn profiles (here and here, respectively) indicating that they are no longer with the company.
Grigsby had been with the company for five years, working on Call of Duty 2, 4 and Modern Warfare 2. Messerly was an eight-year employee, having contributed to every title in the series produced by the studio. In his update, Messerly left the parting note: "So long and thanks for all the COD."
For those keeping count, Grigsby and Messerly bring to 11 the total number of lead developers who have departed Infinity Ward since its studio heads, Vince Zampella and Jason West, were ousted by Activision in early March. Going by IW's company profile on LinkedIn, which puts its employee count at 97, it has lost more than 10 percent of them in just over a week. Activision has said that IW retains a "deep bench of proven talent" -- at least it does for another couple of months, at this rate.
Reader Comments (74)
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:04PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Okay, now it's getting a little ridiculous. 11 employees gone in a months time? Where's Nancy Drew when you need her...
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:32PM That Burning Sensation said
"Everything is fine, nothing to see here, move along!"- Activision
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 10:26PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:05PM 66jzmstr said
This is becoming the best of an ugly situation. I hope more IW staff leave and join Zampella and West to make an amazing game. I also hope the IW staff - still there or not - get their due bonuses.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 10:10PM Rawrmander said
I hope they all go to studios where they'll be happiest.
Screw all this 'drama'.
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Screw all this 'drama'.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:06PM (Unverified) said
"...thanks for all the COD."
I'd want to leave Activision/IW too, if I was forced to eat fish for all 8 series.
I'd want to leave Activision/IW too, if I was forced to eat fish for all 8 series.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 10:47PM Morisato13 said
What if they made you eat something that smelled like fish but wasnt?
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:07PM One Stomy Night go watch it said
Guess we ain't gonna see the conclusion, huh?
Penny Arcade Adventures, Shenmue, possibly Hotel Dusk...I'm tired of shit not being finished! Fight for the right to procure the name sake or atleast the damned characters and story and finish it!
Penny Arcade Adventures, Shenmue, possibly Hotel Dusk...I'm tired of shit not being finished! Fight for the right to procure the name sake or atleast the damned characters and story and finish it!
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:27PM (Unverified) said
And it is a lot easier when you use IW's engine and practically re-skin the game...
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 10:43PM Hyperion45 said
MW2 had a story? I must have missed it what with all the gaping plot holes and stupid twists and senseless reasoning and the whole "I tricked the russians into attacking america because I was angry that nobody cried when my soldiers died in a nuclear explosion so I'm going to get even more people killed with this whole russian invasion thing then everyone will think I'm a hero for stopping it and killing all your friends!!"
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Posted: Apr 15th 2010 5:57AM khangenghis said
i loved MW1 single player and greatly liked it's multiplayer.
WAW single player was meh, but it's multiplayer imho was a huge improvement over MW1's (larger maps, less grenade spam, tonnes of foliage & debris to hide around, zombies).
MW2? 1 word:
B-Grade-Action-Movie-Ish
*Disclaimer*
IMHO
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WAW single player was meh, but it's multiplayer imho was a huge improvement over MW1's (larger maps, less grenade spam, tonnes of foliage & debris to hide around, zombies).
MW2? 1 word:
B-Grade-Action-Movie-Ish
*Disclaimer*
IMHO
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:08PM (Unverified) said
Cod2 was freaking amazing! anyway this is great, i hope they can join another studio and make a CoD killer. It's about time a new shooter steps up. Besides the last good cod was 4.
Posted: Apr 15th 2010 9:06AM (Unverified) said
I agree with you and I think most people agree with you that COD2 was amazing and COD4 was the last great COD game.
The series is on it's natural decline downhill (although I still love MW2).
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The series is on it's natural decline downhill (although I still love MW2).
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:08PM OzCueball said
The snowball keeps getting bigger. Can't wait till someone throws it in activision's face!
*adds gravel
*adds gravel
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 10:56PM TraceurRyuk Prepping for LBP2 said
Does anybody actually picture some of the things said on Joystiq in their head? It makes it three times as funny
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 11:19PM TraceurRyuk Prepping for LBP2 said
I sense some animosity in your comment... Anyways, my version's probably a bit more comical and less... gruesome, than yours.
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:08PM Dr Blight said
So, IW was founded by 22 members of 2015. That means eleven more to go.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:09PM Kleptomaniac said
I really wish they'd just let the COD series rest in peace. Let people remember it for the series that strived for quality rather than milk it until it remains a hollow shell of itself. If it keeps going like this infinity ward will lose all of its key staff. We'll have COD 8 being made by people who were just pulled in and told to copy the old formula so the regulars will eat it up.
Of course this is activision we're talking about.
Of course this is activision we're talking about.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:12PM Cjgrimmreaper PSN Xbox LIVE said
I am just saddened with all this IW information....I promise to all of you that if IW goes down in the gutter, Call of Duty will be stuck in WWII
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:20PM JamesHks said
The rest of the key members at IW should just leave and go to respawn. Give kotick the kick in the balls he deserves.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:20PM MLC said
Yeah, IW disabandon!!! Everybody quit!
Take that Activision!!!
Take that Activision!!!
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:37PM MacabreArts said
honestly, I'm waiting for EA to offer contracts to all members of Infinity Ward- including their bonuses for MW2. It'd be a great PR move, and the next MOH would be amazing.
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:25PM (Unverified) said
Nice to see the animators leave. COD4 used to have the best animation
(until Uncharted 2 came out).
As long as Fourzerotwo doesn't join Respawn, I'll be happy. He was a
horrible community manager, and is so full of himself for someone who doesn't contribute other than sitting on his ass all day and twittering.
(until Uncharted 2 came out).
As long as Fourzerotwo doesn't join Respawn, I'll be happy. He was a
horrible community manager, and is so full of himself for someone who doesn't contribute other than sitting on his ass all day and twittering.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:26PM RobT said
Even if all these leads don't move over to Respawn this is still a vindication for Zampella and West. I really hope they do though, it would be nice to see the team reform with the fresh start that is being offered by EA. Honestly, who ever though we'd see the day when EA was a hero for the developer/little guy? Activision being a giant douche bag, on the other hand, totally expected.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:31PM (Unverified) said
They really hate Activision.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:31PM GuardianLegend said
No way IW's dev count is just 97. I coulda swore I saw a lot more names than 97 in the credits of MW1 and 2, and not just non-development stuff too.
Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:45PM GuardianLegend said
Even taking those things into consideration, 97 just seems really low, and a LinkedIn head count doesn't seem credible enough to me. *shrug* You and Joystiq could be right though.
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Posted: Apr 14th 2010 9:55PM (Unverified) said
They have said many times that in interviews that there are around 100 employees at IW, before MW2 launch at E3
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