Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Activision pays $42 million to Infinity Ward Employee Group]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/#comments Activision has paid out $42 million to the "Infinity Ward Employee Group," which sued Activision in 2010 seeking profits from Modern Warfare 2. A source speaking to Polygon said that the payment was not a settlement; rather, Activision's discovery phase (for its own lawsuit against former Infinity Ward leads Jason West and Vince Zampella) found no evidence that the Employee Group members were complicit in the breach-of-contract issues for which Activision is suing, and so Bobby Kotick and Activision agreed to pay them.

That group sought $75 million to $125 million, plus punitive damages. IWEG attorney Bruce Isaacs told Polygon that "although it is a meaningful payment it is only a small portion of what we are seeking in litigation." And it is still going forward with said litigation. Isaacs said the payment was a "cynical attempt to look good before the jury trial."

JoystiqActivision pays $42 million to Infinity Ward Employee Group originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsinfinity-wardinfinity-ward-employee-grouplawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxTue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward suit against Activision going to trial]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/#comments After languishing in the legal system for over a year, the lawsuit filed against Activision by Infinity Ward founders Vincent Zampella and Jason West appears to be moving forward, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The publication reports that a Los Angeles judge has ruled that Zampella and West's claims against Activision have merit -- complaints of unpaid royalties among others -- meaning the suit should finally be going to court.

The news comes months after a judge allowed Activision's countersuit to move forward as well. Both sides of the suit are seeking significant damages. Appropriately enough, with both sides cleared to proceed, it looks like it's finally time for Activision and the former Call of Duty developers to go to war.

JoystiqInfinity Ward suit against Activision going to trial originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondsinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3vince-zampellawiixboxFri, 17 Jun 2011 17:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Infinity Ward co-developing Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/#comments Call of Duty: Modern Warfare publisher Activision has repeatedly stated that Infinity Ward is doing fine since heads Vince Zampella and Jason West were ousted from the company early last year. A report on the LA Times' Company Town blog, however, tells a different story -- according to the piece, both Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have been tasked with helping develop the next, still unannounced Modern Warfare title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

"People familiar with the situation" claim that Sledgehammer is working with the remaining staff at Infinity Ward on developing the game's single-player campaign, while Singularity developer Raven Software is in charge of bringing up the multiplayer side of things. The sources also contend that, like past Call of Duty titles, MW3 is expected to ship this November. Additionally, Sledgehammer is said to have halted production on its own spinoff Call of Duty title in order to help IW out.

Update: Activision issued a comment in response to the LAT piece, stating, "There's been much specultion recently. We look forward to releasing details for the next Call of Duty in the near future."

JoystiqReport: Infinity Ward co-developing Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3infinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3raven-softwaresledgehammer-gamesxboxThu, 20 Jan 2011 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision successfully adds EA to countersuit, redacted email suggests MW2 map pack delayed for Bad Company 2 launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/activision-successfully-adds-ea-to-countersuit-redacted-email-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/activision-successfully-adds-ea-to-countersuit-redacted-email-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/activision-successfully-adds-ea-to-countersuit-redacted-email-s/#comments Late last month Activision filed a motion to amend its countersuit against Vince Zampella and Jason West; specifically, it sought to include Electronic Arts as a cross-defendant after discovering that its largest competitor had schemed to "inflict serious harm on the company."

Today we learned that Activision's request has been approved and Electronic Arts - and the $400 million request for "actual and punitive damages" - has been officially added to the existing countersuit. Also added, or in this case removed, from the cross-complaint: the protective order responsible for many of the redacted sections that Activision insisted were "not truly 'confidential,' but merely embarrassing and damaging to Electronic Arts and its co-conspirators."

Gallery: Activision First Amended Cross Complaint (updated)

Continue reading Activision successfully adds EA to countersuit, redacted email suggests MW2 map pack delayed for Bad Company 2 launch

JoystiqActivision successfully adds EA to countersuit, redacted email suggests MW2 map pack delayed for Bad Company 2 launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBattlefield-Bad-Company-2Electronic-ArtsJason-Westmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Vince-ZampellaxboxThu, 20 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA calls Activision's legal claims 'deliberate misdirection']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ea-calls-activisions-legal-claims-deliberate-misdirection/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ea-calls-activisions-legal-claims-deliberate-misdirection/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ea-calls-activisions-legal-claims-deliberate-misdirection/#comments In light of last night's revised lawsuit announcement by Activision, Electronic Arts corporate spokesperson Jeff Brown responded on behalf of his company, characterizing the announcement to the LA Times as "a PR [public relations] play filled with pettiness and deliberate misdirection." The revised suit added EA as defendants in the case between Activision and West/Zampella, citing several alleged interactions between the ex-Infinity Ward heads and EA, a relationship said to have been fostered by talent agency CAA.

Brown continued, accusing Activision of attempting to "hide the fact that they have no credible response to the claim of the two artists who were fired." He further contends that West and Zampella "now just want to get paid for their work." Unfortunately, it seems for all parties involved that this whole affair is a bit far beyond the basic reconciliation point.

JoystiqEA calls Activision's legal claims 'deliberate misdirection' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncaacreative-artists-agencyeaelectronic-artsjason-westjeff-brownjohn-riccitiellolawsuitlegalrespawn-entertainmentvince-zampellaWed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/#comments Following last March's lawsuit filed by ousted Infinity Ward execs Jason West and Vince Zampella against former employer Activision, and Activision's countersuit filed the following month, Activision has filed a motion to amend its countersuit based on new evidence born of the discovery phase. What kind of evidence? Namely that "Electronic Arts conspired with two former senior Activision executives, West and Zampella (the "executives") to derail Activision's Call of Duty franchise, disrupt its Infinity Ward development studio, and inflict serious harm on the company."

As a result, the lawsuit now includes Electronic Arts as a cross-defendant and is asking for $400 million in "actual and punitive damages from EA and the former executives, including profits Activision would have made but for EA's interference, costs incurred in rebuilding the affected studio, and damages suffered as a result of delays and disruptions." Activision is also asking the court to allow it to "recapture compensation previously awarded to its faithless executives" and, even more notable, "to prevent Electronic Arts and the former executives from benefiting from their illegal conduct."

The 39-page document details the history of Infinity Ward, the Call of Duty franchise and the public termination of its two founders, West and Zampella. It seeks to prove that West and Zampella colluded with Electronic Arts, despite having more than two years on their employment contract. The suit reveals that, following a private meeting in August 2009 at EA CEO John Riccitiello's house in San Francisco -- coordinated by CAA agent and former Xbox face Seamus Blackley -- CAA enlisted the help of lawyer Harold Brown to evaluate their employment contracts. Brown was ostensibly chosen because he is a "former Activision board member and former legal counsel to Activision."

Continue reading Activision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company'

JoystiqActivision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-DutyEAElectronic-ArtsInfinity-WardJason-WestJohn-RiccitielloModern-Warfare-2Respawn-EntertainmentVince-ZampellaTue, 21 Dec 2010 21:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Vivendi boss says Activision is over Infinity Ward drama, studio 'reconstructed']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/vivendi-chairman-says-activision-is-over-infinity-ward-drama-st/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/vivendi-chairman-says-activision-is-over-infinity-ward-drama-st/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/vivendi-chairman-says-activision-is-over-infinity-ward-drama-st/#comments
Jean-Bernard Lévy, chairman and chief exec. of Vivendi, which has a controlling interest in Activision Blizzard, noted that the megapublisher has "reconstructed" Infinity Ward. The Financial Times reports that, at the Morgan Stanley TMT conference, Lévy stated, "We have reconstructed Infinity Ward, we are very happy with the way we have been able to reconstruct it."

Lévy claims Activision "got over" all the Infinity Ward drama from earlier this year, which likely came much easier with the help of the record-breaking success of Call of Duty: Black Ops, which made Treyarch the top cog in the Call of Duty development mill.

Call of Duty currently has (at least) three studios developing titles: Infinity Ward is apparently working on Modern Warfare 3, Sledgehammer Games is delivering the 2011 installment for the franchise and Treyarch's project is currently classified. Meanwhile, Jason West and Vince Zampella, the former studio heads of Infinity Ward, who started Respawn Entertainment after their firing, have started from "absolute zero" on a project for EA Partners.

JoystiqVivendi boss says Activision is over Infinity Ward drama, studio 'reconstructed' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardInfinity-WardJean-Bernard-Levymicrosoftpcplaystationps3TreyarchvivendiVivendi-UniversalxboxFri, 19 Nov 2010 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Infinity Ward suit updated, claims Activision created 'police state']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

According to Kotaku, an amended version of the lawsuit filed by 38 former and current Infinity Ward developers against Activision was recently submitted to a California court. The suit uses a bit stronger language when describing the policies of the monolithic publisher, claiming its agents created a "police state" atmosphere while IW worked on Modern Warfare 2, and would regularly conduct "interrogations" of the studio's members. Despite the increased intensity of these claims, the group has reduced the amount of punitive damages and unpaid bonuses sought from half a billion dollars to $216 million.

A trial date for the Infinity Ward Employee Group's case against Activision (and possibly West and Zampella's case, should the judge decide to consolidate the suits) is currently set for May 23, 2011.

JoystiqReport: Infinity Ward suit updated, claims Activision created 'police state' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioninfinity-wardJason-WestlawsuitModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaSat, 10 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/kotick-there-was-no-gray-area-in-infinity-ward-firings-studi/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/kotick-there-was-no-gray-area-in-infinity-ward-firings-studi/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/kotick-there-was-no-gray-area-in-infinity-ward-firings-studi/#commentsBobby Kotick
Bobby Kotick / image credit: dfarber

During a quarterly earnings call this afternoon, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick took the opportunity to address (what else?) the ongoing Infinity Ward situation his company is currently embroiled in. "The decision [...] to terminate the two Infinity Ward executives, was not done lightly," Kotick admitted. "And it was not done to deprive them of their bonuses, nor was it done without a great deal of deliberation about the consequences."

Those consequences have varied from lawsuits, countersuits, studio departures ("approximately 35 others have resigned and it is likely that a few more people will leave as well," Kotick said), the formation of Respawn Entertainment, to another ongoing lawsuit from the Infinity Ward Employee Group.

After calling Infinity Ward founders West and Zampella "friends," Kotick said, "Once we began to understand what had occurred, there was no gray area. There was nothing that would have allowed us to retain their services, as talented as they might have been." But even with the loss of West and Zampella, and the 35 others that have resigned, Kotick maintains, "We have a great team in place at Infinity Ward, which continues to work on downloadable content and the studio's next unannounced project."

And he wants you to know that any rumors you've heard about a closure of the studio are not only inaccurate, they're the opposite of what's really going on. "We continue to support the culture of excellence that has defined Infinity Ward and we're already strengthening the studio with additional talent and financial resources." Well, we already assumed "additional talent," what with the considerable dent in the staff and all. Read Kotick's full statement after the break.

Continue reading Kotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened

JoystiqKotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBobby-KotickInfinity-WardThu, 06 May 2010 22:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Respawn picks up four more Infinity Ward vets]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/respawn-picks-up-four-more-infinity-ward-vets/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/respawn-picks-up-four-more-infinity-ward-vets/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/respawn-picks-up-four-more-infinity-ward-vets/#comments Out of the four ex-Infinity Ward employees discovered today to be taking up positions at Respawn Entertainment, the new home of former IW heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, two held senior positions and all four are currently members of the "Infinity Ward Employee Group" suing Activision for millions of dollars. Preston Glenn ("designer"), Chad Grenier ("senior designer"), Sean Slayback ("game designer"), and Zied Rieke ("lead designer) have all confirmed on LinkedIn to have made the quick switch from their former bosses' studio to their new, EA-backed startup.

According to G4's report, the tally of Infinity Ward employees that have joined West and Zampella's still nascent studio is up to 16 as of today. The studio has seen a flood of employee vacancies in the wake the co-founders' firings early last month, and a not-so-surprising recent rush of ex-IW developers jumping on to Respawn's staff. West and Zampella's new dev house has yet to announce any projects but, well, all those employees have gotta be up to something.

JoystiqRespawn picks up four more Infinity Ward vets originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionchad-greniereaElectronic-Artsinfinity-wardinfinity-ward-employee-groupjason-westlinkedinpreston-glennrespawn-entertainmentsean-slaybackvince-zampellazied-riekeFri, 30 Apr 2010 16:58:00 EST<![CDATA['Infinity Ward Employee Group' lawsuit documents: see them here]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/infinity-ward-employee-group-lawsuit-documents-see-them-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/infinity-ward-employee-group-lawsuit-documents-see-them-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/infinity-ward-employee-group-lawsuit-documents-see-them-here/#comments Yesterday's news that a third lawsuit had originated from the ongoing Infinity Ward / Activision breakup wasn't exactly a shocker, and a handful of revealing tidbits have surfaced from the depths of the legalese. We retrieved a copy of the latest lawsuit's full complaint document (found below in the gallery) and spent the evening scouring it for details on yesterday's allegations.

For instance, approximately 21 of the 38 members of the "Infinity Ward Employee Group" have already left IW, with the remaining 17 still employed at the studio (or being "held hostage," as their complaint document puts it). All 38 group members are seeking anywhere from 10.8% ($98 million) to 13.6% ($123 million) of the $900 million in profit the suit claims Activision has earned on Modern Warfare 2 sales since it debuted last November -- a percentage claimed to have been worked out previously between said IW employees and Activision, under the "Bonus Pool Agreement" (the "BPA" is said to be "based on incomes earned from MW2," though nothing more specific is spelled out). Furthermore, the group is seeking "bonus/royalty/profit participation" from MW2's "sister games," which includes not just Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Reflex, but also Modern Warfare 3, "if MW3 is ultimately delivered and marketed."

Additionally, the suit alleges that, on March 26 of this year, Activision "made a partial payment of Infinity Ward's Fourth Quarter of 2009 Bonus Payment" (an undisclosed amount). When asked by employees "how much payments would have been had Activision not fired West and Zampella," representatives said they "would have received approximately 2.5 times the amount they were paid." This stands in stark contrast to claims made recently that IW employees who stay with the studio would receive larger bonuses.

Gallery: Infinity Ward Employee Group v. Activision (complaint)

Joystiq'Infinity Ward Employee Group' lawsuit documents: see them here originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2call-of-duty-modern-warfare-reflexinfinity-wardinfinity-ward-employee-grouplawsuitmodern-warfare-2modern-warfare-3Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA['Infinity Ward Employee Group' sues Activision for $150 to $625 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/infinity-ward-employee-group-sues-activision-for-75-to-125-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/infinity-ward-employee-group-sues-activision-for-75-to-125-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/infinity-ward-employee-group-sues-activision-for-75-to-125-m/#comments Rather than the usual news of Infinity Ward staffers leaving the company, occasionally jumping on board ex-IW founders Vince Zampella and Jason West's new development team at Respawn Entertainment, today we have word that a group of current and former IW employees are suing Activision for breach of contract. G4 got its hands on a lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court by 38 plaintiffs -- a band of folks named the "Infinity Ward Employee Group" -- seeking "to recover between $75 million and $125 million, if not more, in compensatory damages." The group is also asking for another $75 to $500 million in "punitive damages."

Allegedly, the employees of IW have received $28 million in bonuses, and are claiming to be owed another $54 million from just 2009. The rest of the treasure chest is sought for a gaggle of other reasons, ranging from "lost value on restricted stock units that Activision promised would vest" to MW2's "sister games," which seems to include the still-unannounced Modern Warfare 3.

In fact, the group's lawyer Bruce Isaacs contends that, in holding the remaining employees based on claims of larger royalties, Activision has breached those employees' contracts. "Activision has withheld most of the money to force many of my people to stay, some against their will, so that they would finish the delivery of Modern Warfare 3. That is not what they wanted to do, many of them. My clients are entitled to their money. Activision has no right to withhold their money -- our money." The suit's legalese also claims as much, even going as far as to accuse the publisher of holding "[IW] employees hostage so that Activision could reap the benefit of the completion of Modern Warfare 3." Yikes!

Update: Activision has responded to the lawsuit with this statement: "Activision believes the action is without merit. Activision retains the discretion to determine the amount and the schedule of bonus payments for MW2 and has acted consistent with its rights and the law at all times. We look forward to getting judicial confirmation that our position is right."

Joystiq'Infinity Ward Employee Group' sues Activision for $150 to $625 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbruce-isaacscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2infinity-wardinfinity-ward-employee-groupmodern-warfare-2modern-warfare-3Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:54:00 EST<![CDATA[More Infinity Ward staffers leave, join Respawn [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/more-infinity-ward-staffers-leave-join-respawn/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/more-infinity-ward-staffers-leave-join-respawn/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/more-infinity-ward-staffers-leave-join-respawn/#commentsThe siphon that delivers Infinity Ward expatriates to Vince Zampella and Jason West's new company Respawn Entertainment appears to have been primed. Two more have joined the new studio: senior software engineer Chris Lambert and designer Brent McLeod are new hires at the new EA Partners-funded studio, according to their LinkedIn profiles.

In addition to those two, three more have left Infinity Ward. Lead character artist Joel Emslie announced his departure on Facebook, along with artists Ryan Lastimosa and Brad Allen. Either these three have yet to join Respawn -- or they have yet to get over to LinkedIn to announce that they've joined Respawn.

Update: Lastimosa and senior level designer Jason McCord have joined Respawn, GameSpot reports. Three more IW staff have announced their departure from IW as well.

JoystiqMore Infinity Ward staffers leave, join Respawn [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-allenbrent-mcleodchris-lambertinfinity-wardjoel-emslieRespawn-Entertainmentryan-lastimosaMon, 26 Apr 2010 20:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward lead designer now Respawn lead designer [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-lead-designer-now-respawn-lead-designer/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-lead-designer-now-respawn-lead-designer/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-lead-designer-now-respawn-lead-designer/#commentsThe LinkedIn profile (login required) of former Infinity Ward Lead Designer Todd Alderman, one of the 2015 Inc. staffers who left to form Infinity Ward, reveals that he has signed on as the Lead Game Designer for the new Respawn Entertainment. Hey, don't some other guys from Infinity Ward work at Respawn now? What a happy coincidence!

Though we all assumed that departing Infinity Ward staffers would join up with the new studio headed by Vince Zampella and Jason West -- of their own volition, of course, and not through "active soliciting" from Respawn, since the new developer is legally barred from such activity -- this is the first indication of such a thing actually taking place. So now the company has at least three employees. That's enough to make a AAA game, right? Each person only has to work on one "A."

Update: G4 is keeping a running tally of the former IW-ers joining Respawn. It's now up to six, including animators, artists, and programmers.

[Via G4]

JoystiqInfinity Ward lead designer now Respawn lead designer [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyinfinity-wardmodern-warfarerespawn-entertainmenttodd-aldermanThu, 22 Apr 2010 19:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward holdouts to receive extra helping of bonuses, says Activision's Amrich]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-holdouts-to-receive-extra-helping-of-bonuses-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-holdouts-to-receive-extra-helping-of-bonuses-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/infinity-ward-holdouts-to-receive-extra-helping-of-bonuses-says/#comments Activision's newly hired community man Dan Amrich took to a Facebook forum recently to spell out the bonus situation for the remaining employees at troubled Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward. Develop spotted Amrich's information-laden responses, which echo and expand on claims made by Activision in its suit against former IW heads Vince Zampella and Jason West (we've clipped the pieces of the lawsuit pertaining to the bonuses and dropped them after the break for you).

Specifically, Amrich says that employees who have left IW will not be receiving a cut of West and Zampella's now forfeited bonuses -- bonuses for Modern Warfare 2 were never paid, apparently. "Vince and Jason had very large bonuses; those bonuses are being redistributed to everybody else, to the people who did not allegedly attempt to steal company secrets," Amrich explains. "Activision is not pocketing that bonus money; it's still going to the people who work at IW. But you have to work at IW to get it, see? I don't want to see talented people screwed out of a paycheck any more than you do."

Continue reading Infinity Ward holdouts to receive extra helping of bonuses, says Activision's Amrich

JoystiqInfinity Ward holdouts to receive extra helping of bonuses, says Activision's Amrich originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbonsuesbusinesscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfarecall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2dan-amrichinfinity-wardjason-westmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2moneyvince-zampellaThu, 22 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision exec Thomas Tippl speaks out on current Infinity Ward conditions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/activision-exec-thomas-tippl-speaks-out-on-current-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/activision-exec-thomas-tippl-speaks-out-on-current-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/activision-exec-thomas-tippl-speaks-out-on-current-infinity-ward/#comments Ever since the private relationship between the ex-Infinity Ward heads and Activision management broke down and became a publicly debated matter (through two lawsuits), the state of affairs at IW have been up in the air. Various reports from "sources close to the studio" have arisen at Kotaku, with one alleged insider calling the studio "dead" and another giving a far less grim report.

Activision execs, however, have been fairly quiet on the situation -- that is, until now: Chief Operating and Financial Officer Thomas Tippl spoke with the LA Times Company Town blog this week, saying that the development house "still has nearly 100 people," he claims. "They've built a deep bench, and the change of guard will provide an opportunity for some of the rising stars to put their own stamp on the Call of Duty franchise."

Further, he refutes charges that his company has been anything other than good to its studios. "We treat our developers extremely well," Tippl stated. He contineud that Activision's "independent studio model" allows developers "a lot of creative freedom while we take care of the back office stuff." Whatever the internal issues are, he reconfirmed that three separate internal studios are currently hard at work on Call of Duty titles.

JoystiqActivision exec Thomas Tippl speaks out on current Infinity Ward conditions originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionceocfoinfinity-wardsledgehammersledgehammer-gamesthomas-tippltreyarchSun, 18 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What if the Modern Warfare 2 credits were edited to reflect vacated Infinity Ward positions?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/modern-warfare-2-credits-edited-to-reflect-vacated-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/modern-warfare-2-credits-edited-to-reflect-vacated-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/modern-warfare-2-credits-edited-to-reflect-vacated-infinity-ward/#comments Out of the 100-ish people that Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward is estimated to employ, a smattering have left over the past few weeks. Whether or not the various folks vacated their positions due to the recent shakeup at the studio is unknown, but PC Gamer UK put together a convenient way of telling exactly who has been crossed from the studio's list of employees -- by editing the credits from MW2 to reflect the recent changes.

Though the video neglects to cross off ex-senior animator Bruce Ferriz from the list, the 10 other employees certainly corroborate our reports. Unfortunately, given the near-daily losses the studio has seen, we're hoping that PC Gamer kept its Final Cut save file close at hand. Hit the break to check it out.

[Update: Changed headline from "Modern Warfare 2 credits edited to reflect vacated Infinity Ward positions" to the above, since some of you didn't bother to read the actual story for context. For shame!]

[Via GamePro]

Continue reading What if the Modern Warfare 2 credits were edited to reflect vacated Infinity Ward positions?

JoystiqWhat if the Modern Warfare 2 credits were edited to reflect vacated Infinity Ward positions? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioninfinity-wardmodern-warfare-2videoThu, 15 Apr 2010 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward loses two more key staff, report says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/infinity-ward-loses-two-more-key-staff-report-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/infinity-ward-loses-two-more-key-staff-report-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/infinity-ward-loses-two-more-key-staff-report-says/#comments 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.

JoystiqInfinity Ward loses two more key staff, report says originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionactivision-blizzardCall-of-Dutyinfinity-wardjohn-paul-messerlymark-grigsbymodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Four more Infinity Ward employees leave studio]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-four-more-infinity-ward-employees-leave-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-four-more-infinity-ward-employees-leave-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-four-more-infinity-ward-employees-leave-studio/#comments Lead designers Zied Reike and Steve Fukuda, as well as programmer Rayme Vinson, have left ailing Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward, according to "sources close to the studio" speaking with Kotaku. Additionally, lead artist Chris Cherubini is confirmed to have left the studio. And yes, folks, this is the second story we've written today about developers exiting the Activision-owned dev house, bringing the number of employee departures since studio co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella were fired up to nine in total.

As with other developers that left IW recently, little information has been given as to where everyone will end up -- none have been confirmed as moving to West and Zampella's newly formed Respawn Entertainment as of yet. Regardless, if previous reports about low studio morale and unpaid royalties were true, we wouldn't be surprised to see quite a few more IW departures in the near future.

JoystiqReport: Four more Infinity Ward employees leave studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionchris-cherubiniinfinity-wardjason-westmodern-warfare-2rayme-vinsonrespawn-entertainmentsteve-fukudavince-zampellazied-reikeTue, 13 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Three more leave Infinity Ward]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-three-more-leave-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-three-more-leave-infinity-ward/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/report-three-more-leave-infinity-ward/#comments IGN reports that three more staffers have left Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward. Programmer Jon Shiring and senior animator Bruce Ferriz independently confirmed that they were leaving IW, with Ferriz heading to Big Red Button Entertainment and Shiring not providing more information. "I'm not trying to create spectacle, I just wanted to avoid the LinkedIn nonsense," Shiring said of his move, referring to two former IW employees who were discovered via LinkedIn to have left the studio. Lead designer Mackey McCandlish has also confirmed (via Twitter) that he's leaving the studio after "a great 8+ year run."

This news comes just one day after the ousted IW co-founders announced the creation of Respawn Entertainment and a partnership with ... ahem ... EA Partners. As of this writing, no ex-Infinity Ward employees have joined the new venture.

JoystiqReport: Three more leave Infinity Ward originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbig-red-buttonbig-red-button-entertainmentbruce-ferrizea-partnersinfinity-wardjon-shiringmackey-mccandlishrespawn-entertainmentTue, 13 Apr 2010 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Vince Zampella and Jason West talk Respawn Entertainment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/vince-zampella-and-jason-west-talk-respawn-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/vince-zampella-and-jason-west-talk-respawn-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/vince-zampella-and-jason-west-talk-respawn-entertainment/#comments Today we spoke with recently laid off Infinity Ward cofounders Vince Zampella and Jason West about their new project, Respawn Entertainment, and their new partner, Electronic Arts. While there's no game to promote just yet, and no physical location determined for the new studio, and just two employees battling it out for Employee of the Month, there's still plenty to talk about -- including the best magician-themed analogy we've heard in awhile. Read on!

Continue reading Interview: Vince Zampella and Jason West talk Respawn Entertainment

JoystiqInterview: Vince Zampella and Jason West talk Respawn Entertainment originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>David-DeMartiniEAEA-PartnersElectronic-ArtsinterviewJason-WestRespawn-EntertainmentVince-ZampellaMon, 12 Apr 2010 17:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Respawn Entertainment announced by ex-IW heads, partnering with EA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/respawn-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/respawn-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/respawn-entertainment/#comments We learned on Friday that ousted Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella planned to have an announcement "very soon" concerning their "creative future" - and now, at 9am ET the following Monday, they've issued a press release announcing Respawn Entertainment, a new development studio that will give West and Zampella ownership of the games they create. "We have learned the hard way," Zampella told the LA Times, "that the best way to ensure the integrity and quality of your work and make sure the fans get what they deserve is to own the intellectual property."

But West and Zampella aren't going it alone; the pair have teamed up with (who else?) Electronic Arts through its EA Partners business. EA Games Label prez Frank Gibeau said, "This is the start of a great publishing partnership -- one that I expect will develop blockbuster game franchises ... At EA, we're honored to be their partners and to give them the support they need to hire a team and return to making incredible games." In addition to handling future publishing duties, EA is funding the new developer "with several million dollars in seed capital," LA Times reports. That's unusual for a developer that's retaining the intellectual property rights to its games. "What makes Vince and Jason's deal so ground-breaking is that EA is investing in them as individuals, not as part of a larger, established company," the pair's agent (and former Xbox pitchman) Seamus Blackley told the Times.

Of course, neither West nor Zampella would comment on what Respawn will be working on or what genre it might land in (military shooter, anyone?), but West did say it would be of the "huge, summer blockbuster" variety. Did you expect anything less?

[Update: Activision issued the following statement following the announcement of Respawn Entertainment: "This agreement comes as no surprise to Activision given the myriad of improper activities detailed in the cross-complaint filed on Friday against Jason West and Vince Zampella. We look forward to continuing to work with Infinity Ward's deep bench of proven talent on exciting new projects."]

[Update 2: We spoke with West and Zampella about Respawn - read our interview here.]


Source: Jason West and Vincent Zampella's new call of duty [LA Times]
Source: Jason West and Vince Zampella Form 'Respawn Entertainment' [press release]

JoystiqRespawn Entertainment announced by ex-IW heads, partnering with EA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAEA-PartnersElectronic-ArtsInfinity-WardJason-WestRespawn-EntertainmentVince-ZampellaMon, 12 Apr 2010 09:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Ousted Infinity Ward founders 'plan to have an announcement very soon,' lawyer says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-plan-to-have-an-announcement-very/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-plan-to-have-an-announcement-very/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-plan-to-have-an-announcement-very/#comments "Since being fired by Activision, Jason and Vince have taken steps to regain control over their creative future and plan to have an announcement very soon," Robert M. Schwartz, attorney for ousted Infinity Ward studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, told IGN.

Responding to the claims made by Activision in the countersuit filed today, Schwartz described Activision's statements as "false and outrageous" and argued that, while West and Zampella did in fact hire a Hollywood agency to represent them and consider spinning off the studio, both of those actions were driven by Activision. Their rationale for hiring the Creative Artists Agency was only to "advise them in their negotiations with Activision, and not to breach their contract," and it was Activision itself who came up with the original spinoff plans for the studio, Schwartz said.

Even if the claims were true, says the attorney, West and Zampella's actions haven't "had any negative affect on Activision -- none," before pointing out that "Modern Warfare 2 has been the world's most successful video game." Schwartz says that West and Zampella "would still be at Infinity Ward developing new games" if Activision hadn't "kicked them out."

With plans to announce something "very soon" relating to their "creative future," we expect them to be back to developing new games. Just not at Activision, of course. And under an umbrella of legal intrigue.

Full statement after the break:

Continue reading Ousted Infinity Ward founders 'plan to have an announcement very soon,' lawyer says

JoystiqOusted Infinity Ward founders 'plan to have an announcement very soon,' lawyer says originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncaacontractcourtsinfinity-wardjason-westlegalmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2robert-schwartzvince-zampellaFri, 09 Apr 2010 20:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision countersuit against Zampella and West seeks money back, alleges multiple acts of insubordination]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-countersuit-against-zampella-and-west-seeks-money-bac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-countersuit-against-zampella-and-west-seeks-money-bac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-countersuit-against-zampella-and-west-seeks-money-bac/#comments Beyond the details we heard in the LA Times report from earlier today, Joystiq has obtained the entire 23 page complaint this afternoon (filed against former Infinity Ward co-heads Jason West and Vince Zampella by Activision), which details the publisher's claims about the duo's insubordination during employment. The claims detailed therein range from refusing to meet with Activision executives, to "engaging in a campaign to portray Activision and its management in a negative light to IW employees in an effort to solicit those employees," to slowing pre-production of Modern Warfare 3 as leverage in ongoing discussions with Activision. The suit even says that West and Zampella "refused to sign standard exit documents representing that they had returned all Activision property, including computer code, and would honor the confidentiality obligations that they have to Activision."

Further, Activision claims that "on numerous occasions and during critical final stages of game development," West and Zampella threatened to stop production on last year's Modern Warfare 2 "in a bad faith effort to gain further leverage in their contractual relations with Activision." And during all this, the publisher claims that the studio heads were engaging in secret conversations "with Activision's direct competitor" (presumably Electronic Arts, though an EA representative refused to confirm that earlier today).

As a result of these alleged actions, Activision's complaint seeks to "recapture certain equity from West and Zampella, and to recover, as a measure of damages, all compensation and benefits in addition to equity received by them during the period of their disloyalty." In English, that means that Activision is seeking an undisclosed fortune from the defendants, left up to the court to determine, but consisting of money the two earned during their amorphous "period of disloyalty." And there's a ton more in the complaint that we couldn't fit into this measly post, so we'd strongly suggest clicking through its 23 pages in the gallery below. We'll gather up some of the most notable bits and share them after the break.

Gallery: Activision vs. Jason West / Vince Zampella complaint

Continue reading Activision countersuit against Zampella and West seeks money back, alleges multiple acts of insubordination

JoystiqActivision countersuit against Zampella and West seeks money back, alleges multiple acts of insubordination originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2court-documentseaElectronic-Artsinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitmodern-warfare-2modern-warfare-3vince-zampellaFri, 09 Apr 2010 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision blasts West and Zampella in countersuit [Update: Activision responds!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-blasts-west-and-zampella-in-countersuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-blasts-west-and-zampella-in-countersuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-blasts-west-and-zampella-in-countersuit/#comments 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!

JoystiqActivision blasts West and Zampella in countersuit [Update: Activision responds!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>countersuiteaElectronic-Artsinfinity-wardjason-westjeff-brownla-superior-courtlawsuitvince-zampellaFri, 09 Apr 2010 15:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Infinity Ward loses two development leads]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/rumor-infinity-ward-loses-two-development-leads/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/rumor-infinity-ward-loses-two-development-leads/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/rumor-infinity-ward-loses-two-development-leads/#comments According to an unnamed source "close to the studio" who spoke with Kotaku, lead designer Todd Alderman and lead software engineer Francesco ("Frank") Gigliotti recently resigned from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 development house Infinity Ward. Alderman's LinkedIn profile (seen after the break) corroborates that April was apparently his last month of employment with the studio, though Gigliotti's LinkedIn account appears to be unavailable at this point in time (Kotaku has an alleged screengrab of Gigliotti's profile that appears to legitimize the claim).

This report comes just weeks after studio co-heads Vince Zampella and Jason West vacated their positions at Infinity Ward, filed a lawsuit against Activision, and headed for the Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood. We've asked Activision and Infinity Ward for an official response and will let you know if we hear anything back.

Continue reading Rumor: Infinity Ward loses two development leads

JoystiqRumor: Infinity Ward loses two development leads originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2employmentfrancesco-gigliottiinfinity-wardjason-westlinkedinmodern-warfare-2rumortodd-aldermanvince-zampellaTue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ex-Infinity Ward heads now represented by Creative Artists Agency]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/ex-infinity-ward-heads-now-represented-by-creative-artists-agenc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/ex-infinity-ward-heads-now-represented-by-creative-artists-agenc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/ex-infinity-ward-heads-now-represented-by-creative-artists-agenc/#comments In the video game industry, the talent (read: game developers) are often "hired guns," if you will -- part of a developer that is either wholly owned by a publisher (i.e. Infinity Ward's relationship with Activision) or a developer that's being contracted for development by a publisher (i.e. Ruffian Games' relationship with Microsoft). Rarely, if ever, is an individual (or individuals, as is the case here) represented by a talent agency, nonetheless a fancy, bigtime Hollywood one like Creative Artists Agency. That is, however, the case for the recently let go ex-Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West, who recently inked a deal with the agency.

Though a CAA representative wouldn't divulge any info on what the duo's next move is (nor the CAA's next move on their behalf), we have to imagine the pair's pedigree will help out just a bit in finding work. According to the LA Times Company Town blog report, hollywood talent agencies aren't exactly known for scooping up game developers, so this could very well mark a new option for (at very least) big name devs in search of greener pastures.

JoystiqEx-Infinity Ward heads now represented by Creative Artists Agency originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncaacall-of-dutycreative-artists-agencyhollywoodinfinity-wardjason-westmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2vince-zampellaSat, 13 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Infinity Ward employees not leaving due to unpaid royalties, morale 'extremely low']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/rumor-infinity-ward-employees-not-leaving-due-to-unpaid-royalti/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/rumor-infinity-ward-employees-not-leaving-due-to-unpaid-royalti/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/rumor-infinity-ward-employees-not-leaving-due-to-unpaid-royalti/#comments According to a report on Kotaku, a "source" has told the site that the remaining Infinity Ward developers still working for Activision in the wake of the recent leadership shakeup are holding out on leaving the company for now due to royalties owed by the publisher. As claimed by ex-Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West in their recent complaint against Activision (with regards to themselves, that is), the publisher is allegedly holding out on promised royalties owed to the entire company. The tipster says that, rather than a traditional salary-based reward system at IW, the studio pays "regular or even low salaries" and offers "ridiculous royalties" to the whole staff.

Furthermore, the piece alleges that Activision "continues to delay royalties to other employees in order to keep them at the company" (though it's not clear whether that means other Activision-owned studios as well), and that morale at IW is supposedly "extremely low." We've asked Activision for comment on the claims and will update you if we hear more.

Update: Activision responded by saying, "Activision doesn't comment on industry rumor or speculation." Not exactly a definitive "no," but not a confirmation by any means either. We'll keep you updated as we hear more.

JoystiqRumor: Infinity Ward employees not leaving due to unpaid royalties, morale 'extremely low' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2developmentinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitlegalmodern-warfare-2royaltiesrumorvince-zampellaFri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA's John Schappert comments on Activision & Infinity Ward situation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/ea-john-schappert-comments-on-activision-infinity-ward-situation/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/ea-john-schappert-comments-on-activision-infinity-ward-situation/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/ea-john-schappert-comments-on-activision-infinity-ward-situation/#comments EA's John Schappert spoke on the sticky situation regarding Activision and Infinity Ward at GDC today, and rather than put a spin on what he said, we'll let the man speak for himself:

"I'm sure there's two sides to that story, I'm certainly not passing judgement," Schappert said. "On the human side, they're two great guys. I'm disappointed on a couple of fronts. I'm disappointed because I think Jason and Vince, on the human side, are two great guys. I know them personally, and they've done great things. And I think they're two of the best creative leaders in our space, and to think that they're going to be spending their future dealing with litigation and lawyers rather than crafting the next great experience."

"I don't think that's good for them," Schappert continued. "I don't think that's good for our industry. I think that's disappointing. I hope that they find a way to make games and focus on that during this period."

"I think the other disappointing thing is that, rivalries aside, Modern Warfare 2 is a great game," Schappert concluded. "It's the biggest launch our industry has seen, it's a great franchise. I'm putting my consumer industry fan-hat on to think that there could be some challenges -- what's the future of that franchise? I don't know what's going to pan out. I feel bad for Jason and Vince and the franchise itself because they're great leaders and it's a great franchise for our industry."

JoystiqEA's John Schappert comments on Activision & Infinity Ward situation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-DutyCall-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2EAElectronic-ArtsGDC-2010Infinity-WardJason-WestJohn-SchappertLawsuitModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaWed, 10 Mar 2010 18:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Law of the Game analyzes ex-IW bosses' suit against Activision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/law-of-the-game-analyzes-ex-iw-bosses-suit-against-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/law-of-the-game-analyzes-ex-iw-bosses-suit-against-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/law-of-the-game-analyzes-ex-iw-bosses-suit-against-activision/#comments
[Maveric2003]
When various legal fracases arise from time to time, we turn to Law of the Game's Mark Methenitis, an actual, real lawyer, for thorough analysis. So, Methenitis kindly looked over the full complaint filed against Activision by ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and VInce Zampella, and then described to us the importance of the little things: the wording of the contract between the two ex-heads and Activision, the financial implications of the possible loss of the Modern Warfare name (for either side), and the ... shall we say, flamboyant ... language used in the document itself. According to Methenitis, the complaint's colorful phrasing is "for dramatic effect and little more."

Methenitis pointed out in an email exchange with Joystiq that "readers shouldn't place too much emphasis on the language in the facts" and that the story told by the claims "sounds like a relatively common 'business deal gone bad' kind of suit." As for this particular case, though, he allowed, "Granted, based on the value of Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, the stakes are high both for the royalties and future creative control of the brand." (Methenitis here is referring to the ex-studio heads' allegation that Activision had handed over creative control of all Modern Warfare-branded games, part of the "Memorandum of Understanding" that was agreed upon between the two parties before the creation of Modern Warfare 2.)

The stumbling block for West and Zampella, Methenitis said, could be in the wording of the memorandum. "That [receiving their royalties and retaining control of the Modern Warfare name] may be more problematic if the wording of the Memorandum of Understanding isn't such that it can be enforced as a contract," he said, adding, "Given the context and description in the suit, it seems like the term 'Memorandum of Understanding' in this case is just a fancy title for a contract rather than a less-than-enforceable agreement similar to a Letter of Intent." (Head past the break for Methenitis' full analysis.)

While Methenitis wouldn't weigh in on the possible end result of this suit, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter mentioned in his latest report that, "We think that West's and Zampella's claim for creative control over the Call of Duty and Modern Warfare brands has little merit, and we expect Activision to retain control over the brands." One thing's for sure, if a messy lawsuit does get underway (and isn't settled out of court like so many are), we'll assuredly catch wind of more dirty laundry.

Continue reading Law of the Game analyzes ex-IW bosses' suit against Activision

JoystiqLaw of the Game analyzes ex-IW bosses' suit against Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyjason-westlaw-of-the-gamelawsuitlegalletter-of-intentlgjmark-methenitismemorandum-of-understandingmichael-pachtermodern-warfare-2vince-zampellawedbush-securitiesMon, 08 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision/Infinity Ward court documents detail ex-studio heads' many, many complaints]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/activision-infinity-ward-court-documents-detail-ex-studio-heads/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/activision-infinity-ward-court-documents-detail-ex-studio-heads/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/activision-infinity-ward-court-documents-detail-ex-studio-heads/#comments
[bloomsberries]

Beyond a statement released by ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella's lawyer yesterday detailing the lawsuit the two are filing against Activision, we've seen little in the way of back history on the various events that lead us to the debacle we're seeing this week. This morning, though, Joystiq obtained the entire 16-page court document (gallery-ized below for you) that details, among many other things, the ex-employees' complaints about Activision in the wake of their untimely departure.

The initial claim of unpaid royalties is represented in the documents, even going as far as to claim that the publisher fired West and Zampella just weeks before having to pay out said royalties. "Activision fired them in hope that by doing so, it could avoid paying them what they had rightfully earned, and to seize control of the Infinity Ward studio, to which Activision had previously granted creative control over all Modern Warfare branded games," the document reads. In the history lesson portion of the complaint, it's revealed that Activision allegedly purchased the studio for just $5 million originally (in two different chunks), and the Call of Duty franchise (including Treyarch-developed titles) has earned over $3 billion since 2003.

Finally, the complaint claims that, before Infinity Ward agreed to develop Modern Warfare 2, the then-studio heads "were not eager to extend their employment" as Activision had apparently begun demanding a more constant development pace at the studio. "Despite assurances by Activision that West and Zampella would have complete freedom to run Infinity Ward as an independent studio, Activision had begun to intrude upon Infinity Ward's ability to create quality games. For example, Activision forced Infinity Ward's employees to continue producing the games at a breakneck pace under aggressive schedules, and West and Zampella were concerned that Activision was emphasizing quantity over quality."

Regardless of the veracity of these allegations, it would certainly appear that the gloves have come all the way off. We'll have a more thorough breakdown of the entire document later today, but for now you can see it in its entirety below.

Gallery: Activision/Infinity Ward lawsuit documents

JoystiqActivision/Infinity Ward court documents detail ex-studio heads' many, many complaints originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2court-documentsgame-developmentinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitMicrosoftNintendovince-zampellaWiiXbox-360Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision 'disappointed' by Zampella and West's lawsuit, calls it 'meritless']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/activision-disappointed-by-zampella-and-wests-lawsuit-calls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/activision-disappointed-by-zampella-and-wests-lawsuit-calls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/activision-disappointed-by-zampella-and-wests-lawsuit-calls/#commentsActivision has issued a response to the lawsuit filed by former Infinity Ward bosses Vince Zampella and Jason West, dismissing the claims in the lawsuit as "meritless" and expressing the company's "disappointment" in the decision to file suit.

Activision notes in the statement that it provided the capital required to start Infinity Ward, and the continued financial and creative support given over the development of the Call of Duty franchise, and that the two execs failed to "honor their obligations to Activision," justifying their dismissal. With the mentions of the company's "enormous patience" and its eventual "disappointment," the full statement (which you can read after the break) sounds oddly parental.

The release concludes with a note that Activision owns the Call of Duty franchise -- though the title Modern Warfare isn't mentioned.

Continue reading Activision 'disappointed' by Zampella and West's lawsuit, calls it 'meritless'

JoystiqActivision 'disappointed' by Zampella and West's lawsuit, calls it 'meritless' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyinfinity-wardlawsuitmodern-warfarevince-zampellaThu, 04 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ousted Infinity Ward founders file suit against Activision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-file-suit-against-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-file-suit-against-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/ousted-infinity-ward-founders-file-suit-against-activision/#commentsFiled under:

Former Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West are bringing a lawsuit against Activision for breach of contract and other claims, after Activision terminated their employment on March 1. The press release announcing the suit claims that Activision was scheduled to pay "substantial royalty payments," but fired them before the date of the payment.

"Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public," attorney Robert Schwartz said, "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 1st."

In addition to compensation, the suit seeks to return the contractual rights Zampella and West previously had to the Modern Warfare brand.

[Thanks Amnon!]

JoystiqOusted Infinity Ward founders file suit against Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitmodern-warfareroyaltiesvince-zampellaThu, 04 Mar 2010 00:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Alleged Activision memo: Infinity Ward remains central to Call of Duty's future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/alleged-activision-memo-infinity-ward-remains-central-to-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/alleged-activision-memo-infinity-ward-remains-central-to-call/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/alleged-activision-memo-infinity-ward-remains-central-to-call/#comments We've never been great counters, but we'd say there are three studios working on major Call of Duty games now. A recent internal memo (as reported by G4) apparently confirms that Infinity Ward -- despite all of the recent stuff going down there -- will remain "central" to the franchise. So, counting that studio and Treyarch, along with Sledgehammer Games and its own Call of Duty title, that's ... four three! The Count would be so proud of us!

This internal memo reportedly comes from CEO of Activision Publishing Mike Griffith, who said, "Infinity Ward remains central to Call of Duty's future" and that Activision would continue to "rely on the combined talent, expertise and leadership of the team there for [Call of Duty's] success."

JoystiqAlleged Activision memo: Infinity Ward remains central to Call of Duty's future originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyfpsinfinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2Xbox-360Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision confirms Infinity Ward studio heads' departures; Publishing execs take over]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-confirms-infinity-ward-studio-heads-departures/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-confirms-infinity-ward-studio-heads-departures/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/activision-confirms-infinity-ward-studio-heads-departures/#comments According to the official statement we've all been waiting for, Activision has announced that Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella are no longer with the studio. Activision Publishing chief technology officer Steve Pearce and head of production Steve Ackrich will head 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).

We first heard rumor of the Infinity Ward shakeup in the wee hours this morning and saw a few clues throughout the day regarding the two, now ex-Infinity Ward heads. While Activision's formal announcement is certainly confirmation of the sudden changes, it lacks any real explanation. We've put in word to both Infinity Ward and Activision to learn more about the future of the studio and what caused the apparent schism.

JoystiqActivision confirms Infinity Ward studio heads' departures; Publishing execs take over originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-publishingCall-of-Dutyinfinity-wardjason-westphilip-earlsteve-pearcevince-zampellaTue, 02 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Analysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/infinity-ward-modern-warfare-2-royalties-analysis/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/infinity-ward-modern-warfare-2-royalties-analysis/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/infinity-ward-modern-warfare-2-royalties-analysis/#comments Following the departures of two Infinity Ward executives, a related story has gained significant traction and deserves some attention. BingeGamer reports that the development studio "has yet to be paid a single dime in royalties for Modern Warfare 2," ostensibly to be paid by publisher Activision. As Infinity Ward is a wholly-owned Activision studio, we turned to some leading industry analysts to explain what appears to be a private contractual matter.

EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich tells Joystiq, "I couldn't speak to what the royalty agreement between Activision and Infinity Ward is. If royalties haven't been paid out yet, I wouldn't consider that too alarming. The game has only been out for a little over 90 days. Additionally, it is common to see royalty agreements based upon factors such as hitting release date, review scores (a.k.a. 'Metacritic Clauses') or revenue milestones. I think if you just replace the word 'royalties' with 'bonus' it should make some more sense."

Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter explains, "I don't know the nature of [Infinity Ward's] contract, but my bonus is paid after year-end (in February), and theirs is likely the same. The idea that they haven't been paid 'yet' is not all that surprising. The year just closed, and the final SEC documents were filed yesterday." He continues, "IW sold itself to Activision back in 2004, Activision owns the [Call of Duty] IP, and the guys leaving were employees under some kind of contract. Activision appears to believe that they have breached this contract, and may or may not be justified in withholding bonuses."

Check out Pachter and Divnich's full analyses after the break.

[Editor's note: This post has been altered to reflect updates in the Infinity Ward leadership shakeup.]

Continue reading Analysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses

JoystiqAnalysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionanalystbonusescontractseedarfinancialinfinity-wardjesse-divnichmichael-pachterMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2royaltiessaleswedbush-morganXbox-360Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision ousts Infinity Ward studio heads [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/rumor-activision-ousts-infinity-ward-higher-ups/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/rumor-activision-ousts-infinity-ward-higher-ups/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/rumor-activision-ousts-infinity-ward-higher-ups/#comments G4's The Feed, which has been in communication with a source at Infinity Ward, reports that organizational changes may be in effect at the FPS developer's offices. The source claims that 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." In addition, The Feed notes that Infinity Ward's studio heads, Vince Zampella and Jason West, were not seen by fellow staff members after a meeting with Activision on Monday morning. A desk guard at Infinity Ward's offices was unable to confirm any of the events to Joystiq, and calls to community manager Robert Bowling went unanswered at the time of writing.

Apparently, on Monday Activision filed a Form 10-K with the SEC, which is basically an overview of the company's financial condition, and includes any information that could possibly affect that condition. This filing states, "In November 2009, the Company released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a game developed by one of the Company's wholly-owned studios, Infinity Ward. As noted above, Modern Warfare 2 was the best selling console title in the U.S. and Europe in 2009. Consistent with past practice, the Company intends to release a Call of Duty game in 2010 developed by another wholly-owned studio. The Company is concluding an internal human resources inquiry 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. At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company."

Co-studio head Jason West has reportedly changed both his Facebook status and LinkedIn page to indicate that he is no longer employed. As soon as we get more news, we'll pass it along.

Update: Activision has confirmed the departures of Vince Zampella and Jason West. Read here for more details.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

JoystiqActivision ousts Infinity Ward studio heads [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-DutyCall-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2Infinity-WardJason-WestjobsModern-WarfareModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaTue, 02 Mar 2010 03:35:00 EST