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[Respawn Entertainment trademarks 'Titan']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/respawn-entertainment-trademarks-titan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/respawn-entertainment-trademarks-titan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/respawn-entertainment-trademarks-titan/#comments Respawn Entertainment trademarks 'Titan'We may know a tiny, tiny bit more about the first game from Respawn Entertainment, the company formed by Jason West and Vince Zampella after the duo's famous firing from Infinity Ward and Activision. The studio has trademarked the word "Titan" for use in video games. Beyond this single word, presumably a title, all we've had to go on is a pair of blurry screenshots and one very close-up image of what appear to be a mouse and gun barrel.

Given Zampella and West's involvement with Call of Duty - though West is no longer with the studio - it wouldn't be too surprising if the game ended up being a shooter. Whatever it is, Respawn and publisher Electronic Arts should finally be showing it off at E3 this summer.

One cheeky note regarding Titan: That's also reportedly the code name for Blizzard's next MMO, a game belonging to Activision.

JoystiqRespawn Entertainment trademarks 'Titan' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jason-westrespawnRespawn-Entertainmenttitanvince-zampellaTue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Respawn Entertainment teases E3 appearance this year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/respawn-entertainment-teases-e3-appearance-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/respawn-entertainment-teases-e3-appearance-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/respawn-entertainment-teases-e3-appearance-this-year/#comments Respawn Entertainment teases E3 appearance this yearRespawn Entertainment (which came from the disunion between Activision and the former heads of Infinity Ward) promised us last year that the company would not debut its first game at E3. Though we may see a glimpse before the show, Respawn's co-founder Vince Zampella has tweeted that, "Yes, we will finally be at E3," presumably not just to enjoy the sometimes smelly confines of the Los Angeles Convention Center again.

So far, all we've seen of Respawn's secret title is a company logo and the blurry screenshot above, but if Respawn is headed to LA in June for the show, they'll likely be bringing some game info along. As Zampella added, "I have no intention of showing up empty handed!"

JoystiqRespawn Entertainment teases E3 appearance this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2013e3-expolaccpcplaystationrespawnrespawn-entertainmenttweettwittervince-zampellaMon, 25 Feb 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/16/kotick-on-why-firing-west-zampella-was-easy-turning-down-a-cod/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/16/kotick-on-why-firing-west-zampella-was-easy-turning-down-a-cod/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/16/kotick-on-why-firing-west-zampella-was-easy-turning-down-a-cod/#comments Activision CEO Bobby Kotick settled a lawsuit with former employees Jason West and Vince Zampella, both now of Respawn Entertainment, in May. Kotick fired West and Zampella in 2010, after learning they were going to bail on their contracts to sign under EA, Kotick said, and from there, his job was easy:

"You find out two executives are planning to break their contracts, keep the money you gave them and steal 40 employees. What do you do? You fire them," Kotick told The New York Times in an extensive profile. West and Zampella sued Activision for royalties they said they never received from Modern Warfare 2, and though the terms of the settlement were never disclosed, the case's conclusion had West smiling.

Kotick's NYT profile extended from his high school years, when he would pick up friends in a chauffeured limo to visit Studio 54, to his time in college and to the present, when he fended off offers from Hollywood to turn Call of Duty into a high-budget film. Kotick said movies based on games rarely do well with fans and could blemish the Call of Duty brand.

He might be on to something there.

JoystiqKotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionbobby-kotickCall-of-DutyEAfilmfrank-westHollywoodlawsuitmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Vince-ZampellaxboxSun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Activision may have paid 'tens of millions' to West, Zampella]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/report-activision-may-have-paid-tens-of-millions-to-west-zam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/report-activision-may-have-paid-tens-of-millions-to-west-zam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/report-activision-may-have-paid-tens-of-millions-to-west-zam/#comments Report Activision may have paid 'tens of millions' to West, ZampellaWhen ex-Infinity Ward employees Jason West and Vince Zampella settled their lawsuit with Activision, it was sudden, shocking, and most of all, secret. Activision paid out an undisclosed sum to West and Zampella just before a full trial was set to begin, and while it is expected the exact amount may never be made public, experts can still make an educated guess.

Financial analyst Doug Creutz of Cowen and Company posits that the settlement was worth "tens of millions," Gamespot reports. Considering Activision paid out $42 million to the Infinity Ward Employee Group as part of a separate lawsuit, and West and Zampella were seeking $1 billion when the case reached its bitter peak, this ballpark figure checks out.

Activision will report earnings on Thursday, August 2, and Creutz says he expects investors will ignore the impact of the settlement on Activision's bottom line.

JoystiqReport: Activision may have paid 'tens of millions' to West, Zampella originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisioncowen-and-companyEAInfinity-WardJason-WestlawsuitsettlementVince-ZampellaMon, 30 Jul 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[West, Zampella settle with Activision in Infinity Ward lawsuit [Update: Acti, Respawn, EA comment]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/west-zampella-settle-with-activision-in-infinity-ward-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/west-zampella-settle-with-activision-in-infinity-ward-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/west-zampella-settle-with-activision-in-infinity-ward-lawsuit/#comments Image
Ex-Infinity Ward employees Jason West and Vince Zampella have settled their lawsuit with Activision. "All parties have reached a settlement in the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential," the LA Times' Ben Fritz reports.

West and Zampella sued Activision in 2010, after Activision fired them and before they could collect all the promised royalties from the launch of Modern Warfare 2, they claimed. Activision paid $42 million to the Infinity Ward Employee Group -- which includes 38 current and former IW employees -- in May, as part of a separate lawsuit. The payment wasn't a settlement, but was part of Activision's own investigation for its counter-suit against West and Zampella, filed with their new publisher, EA, as a defendant.

EA and Activision settled their suit in May, while West and Zampella's claim rose to $1 billion. Claims in all three lawsuits are now dismissed.

There is no word yet on the terms of the settlement, and they may not ever be revealed, Fritz says, although this observation from the court room may provide a bit of insight into the final outcome: "Jason West is in court and smiling."

Update: Respawn Entertainment issued the following statement: "All parties to the litigation have reached a settlement of the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential."

Update 2: Activision issued a statement as well: "Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI) today announced that all parties to the litigation have reached a settlement of the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential.

"The company does not believe that the incremental one-time charges related to the settlement will result in a material impact on its GAAP or non-GAAP earnings per share outlook for the current quarter or the calendar year, due to stronger-than-expected operating performance in the current quarter."

Update 3: Not to be forgotten, EA has chimed in, too: "Activision's refusal to pay their talent and attempt to blame EA were absurd. This settlement is a vindication of Vince and Jason, and the right of creative artists to collect the rewards due for their hard work."

JoystiqWest, Zampella settle with Activision in Infinity Ward lawsuit [Update: Acti, Respawn, EA comment] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 May 2012 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionInfinity-WardJason-Westlawsuitmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Vince-ZampellaxboxThu, 31 May 2012 16:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision paid Infinity Ward over $493 million in bonuses since 2003]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/activision-paid-infinity-ward-over-493-million-in-bonuses-since/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/activision-paid-infinity-ward-over-493-million-in-bonuses-since/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/activision-paid-infinity-ward-over-493-million-in-bonuses-since/#comments Hard numbers are starting to come out of the Activision v. Infinity Ward case as things continue to ramp up towards the actual trial, which is currently slated to take place next month. Specifically, Activision revealed during a hearing last Friday that it has paid out in excess of $493 million in bonuses to Infinity Ward, a figure that includes the $42 million payout that occurred earlier this month, according to Polygon.

That $439 million encompasses all bonuses paid out to Infinity Ward since the original Call of Duty launched in 2003. To date, IW has been granted bonuses for games it was directly involved with as a studio, as well as games that used its tech and the Call of Duty IP, like the Treyarch-developed Call of Duty: World at War.

Attorneys for former IW heads Vince Zampella and Jason West argued that the ex-Infinity Ward employee group is also owed its share of "launch quarter" bonuses from the release of Black Ops and Modern Warfare 3, a point that Activision obviously disagrees with.

JoystiqActivision paid Infinity Ward over $493 million in bonuses since 2003 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3Infinity-WardJason-Westlawsuitlegalmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3pcplaystationps3TreyarchVince-ZampellaxboxSun, 27 May 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[West and Zampella on Activision lawsuit and 'Project Icebreaker']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/west-and-zampella-on-activision-lawsuit-and-project-icebreaker/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/west-and-zampella-on-activision-lawsuit-and-project-icebreaker/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/west-and-zampella-on-activision-lawsuit-and-project-icebreaker/#comments Jason West and Vince Zampella have lived with their impending lawsuits from (and against) Activision to be bemused about the whole thing. "[Activision] said, 'He orchestrated his own ­firing' - I will never forget that," said West in a Game Informer interview, prompting Zampella to add "We're geniuses, apparently."

According to the pair's attorney Robert Schwartz, Activision's claim against them stems around an "expert's" determination that Modern Warfare 3 would have been a bigger moneymaker had they and the rest of the now-absent Infinity Ward team been present to work on it; instead of having been fired by Activision (a state that the two allegedly 'orchestrated'.)

Schwartz corroborated reports of a "Project Icebreaker" at Activision designed to secretly scour their computers for evidence that would support a firing. "Do you know who George Rose is? He was the head lawyer ­for ­[Activision]," Schwartz said.

"So George Rose goes into the office of this guy named Thomas Fenady. He's some kind of IT whiz at Activision." According to Schwartz, Rose asked Fenady, under the auspices of CEO Bobby Kotick, to "break into [West and Zampella's] computers and dig up dirt to be used to justify firing them." Schwartz added that Fenady "testified to this."

We'll have to wait to see how this insanity plays out in court; the trial was delayed to around June 1.

JoystiqWest and Zampella on Activision lawsuit and 'Project Icebreaker' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3dsinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3nintendopcplaystationps3respawn-entertainmentvince-zampellaxboxFri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision v. Infinity Ward court date delayed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/activision-v-infinity-ward-court-date-delayed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/activision-v-infinity-ward-court-date-delayed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/activision-v-infinity-ward-court-date-delayed/#comments ImageFormer Activision employees and Infinity Ward founders Jason West and Vincent Zampella are taking Activision to court on May 29, after a few years of legal back-and-forth negotiations and counter-suits from Activision. The date was initially set for May 7, but was pushed back at Activision's request.

West and Zampella claim Activision owes them $125 million in unpaid royalties, and they seek the rights to the Modern Warfare brand.

Activision's counter-suit is free to move forward as well, where Activision is asking for $400 million from EA, claiming EA stole its employees and that West and Zampella were consorting secretly with the competitor while still Activision employees.

Zampella and West were fired from Activision in 2010 on the grounds of these supposed secret meetings. They soon after founded Respawn Entertainment and now have 40 former Infinity Ward employees in their ranks.

JoystiqActivision v. Infinity Ward court date delayed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Duty-4-Modern-WarfareCoD4Infinity-WardJason-WestlegalmicrosoftModern-Warfarenintendopcplaystationps3Respawn-EntertainmentsueVince-ZampellawiixboxMon, 09 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward's day in court: May 7, 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/#comments Former Infinity Ward bossmen Jason West and Vincent Zampella have an official court date of May 7, 2012 to settle their dispute with Activision. West and Zampella seek $125 million in unpaid royalties from Modern Warfare 2 sales and wish to reclaim their contractual rights to the Modern Warfare brand. Activision fired both developers in March 2010 for illegally consorting with EA, and has counter-sued West, Zampella and EA for $400 million, claiming EA hijacked its employees.

Since The Firings, West and Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment and now have 40 former Infinity Ward employees working at the studio, which is creating an unannounced, blurry IP. Activision's suit is clear to proceed, but doesn't yet have a date -- considering how long this first case could drag on, we guess it'll go to court around January 2068.

JoystiqInfinity Ward's day in court: May 7, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisiondsEAElectronic-ArtsJason-WestlawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3Respawn-EntertainmenttrialVince-ZampellaxboxFri, 09 Sep 2011 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Here's the first (very blurry) image of Respawn Entertainment's unannounced game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/heres-the-first-very-blurry-image-of-respawn-entertainments/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/heres-the-first-very-blurry-image-of-respawn-entertainments/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/heres-the-first-very-blurry-image-of-respawn-entertainments/#comments Interested in seeing what's next from the duo who headed development on the majority of Call of Duty games? So are we. Unfortunately, all we've got is this very blurry image seen on Respawn Entertainment's newly launched website. Perhaps the unannounced project is being developed in Unreal Engine 3, and the textures simply haven't popped in yet?

Beyond the screen is a star-studded developer page, full of many CoD dev veterans, as well as a handful of other impressive credentials (Pilotwings 64!). There's a forums section as well, presumably where the team will be dropping clues about that unannounced game they're working on for EA.

Finally, a news section highlights the cursory details made available about the controversy-embroiled studio thus far, and shows off the group's new digs, blurred computer monitors and all. Feel free to dig around and let us know if you find any tantalizing nuggets.

Update: A second, much clearer though somehow even less distinct image is used on the company's front page. It's a background for a link to the forum topic discussing Respawn's next game, and we've dropped it after the break.

Continue reading Here's the first (very blurry) image of Respawn Entertainment's unannounced game

JoystiqHere's the first (very blurry) image of Respawn Entertainment's unannounced game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jason-westrespawnRespawn-Entertainmentvince-zampellaWed, 29 Jun 2011 15:08:00 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[Pachter: West, Zampella have no chance of getting Modern Warfare rights]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/#comments In addition to being the official economic soothsayer of the gaming industry, Michael Pachter knows a thing or two about legal affairs. Actually, he has a pair of law degrees, so odds are good that he knows more than two things. Regardless, he recently sounded off to IndustryGamers about former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella's chances of gaining ownership of the Modern Warfare brand form Activision through legal action. His opinion? They've got "no prayer."

Pachter suggested that any claim the two may have had on the brand was lost when their employment was terminated, saying, "They have never claimed that they 'own' the brand; instead, they claim that they were granted creative control over the brand under their employment agreement." Pachter added that a theoretical solution for West and Zampella would be to seek reemployment (yeah right) under a wrongful termination claim, though he noted, "That is simply not what West and Zampella are seeking here."

JoystiqPachter: West, Zampella have no chance of getting Modern Warfare rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitMichael-Pachtermodern-warfareModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaTue, 05 Apr 2011 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Former Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/#comments The complex and claim-ridden story of Activision and Infinity Ward won't get any legal clarification for some time still, but that doesn't stop former IW heads Jason West and Vince Zampella from trying to annul their original contract with Activision. According to a GameSpot report, an amended complaint filed by the duo late last week alleges that Activision began development of "Modern Warfare and Call of Duty games and related products" without the express consent of the two men, and seeks to void the original contract they signed with Activision -- a move that would put at least partial control over the Modern Warfare brand back in the hands of West and Zampella.

"Activision did not inform West or Zampella of such plans or seek their input or approval for them. Indeed, while breaching the creative authority provisions of the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], Activision continued to pay lip-service to them, in an attempt to mask its secret development efforts," the updated complaint reads. Furthermore, the aforementioned MOU was allegedly signed by West and Zampella with pressure from Vivendi's merger with Activision weighing on it, which West and Zampella say helped them land an agreement (detailed by the MOU) that kept them in control of the Modern Warfare brand.

The MOU, however, contained one passage that the ex-IW heads "remained skeptical" of, where the agreement would only continue as long as the two remained employed at the company. It's claimed that Activision CEO Bobby Kotick responded to this concern by saying, "Don't worry about it. It's impossible for you guys to get fired."

JoystiqFormer Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbobby-kotickinfinity-wardjason-westmemorandum-of-understandingModern-Warfare-2vince-zampellaMon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Judge: Activision's suit against EA and former IW heads can proceed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/judge-activisions-suit-against-ea-and-former-iw-heads-can-proc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/judge-activisions-suit-against-ea-and-former-iw-heads-can-proc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/judge-activisions-suit-against-ea-and-former-iw-heads-can-proc/#comments A California judge has ruled that the lawsuit filed by Activision against former Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West can move forward. EA originally filed to dismiss the case after Activision claimed that its rival colluded with West and Zampella while they were still under contract, but California Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle decided today that there was enough evidence for the case to go on towards trial.

EA can still file a request for a summary judgment, so there's still one more option for the courts to reject Activision's claims of collusion and avoid actually going to trial. If that request isn't filed or the judgment doesn't eventually pass, then the lawsuit itself is set to go to trial in May of this year.

JoystiqJudge: Activision's suit against EA and former IW heads can proceed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioneaElectronic-Artsinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitlegalrespawn-entertainmentvince-zampellaWed, 16 Mar 2011 20:30:00 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[THQ nearly signed Respawn, but IP ownership was a deal-breaker]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/thq-nearly-signed-respawn-but-ip-ownership-was-a-deal-breaker/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/thq-nearly-signed-respawn-but-ip-ownership-was-a-deal-breaker/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/thq-nearly-signed-respawn-but-ip-ownership-was-a-deal-breaker/#comments THQ vice president Danny Bilson recently told Wired about a potentially powerful, but ultimately thwarted partnership the company sought early last year, with ex-Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West's new ensemble, Respawn Entertainment. According to Bilson, the deal almost went through, though one point in the THQ contract was a deal-breaker for the young developer: Respawn wanted ownership of any IP it created while in the publisher's employ.

"My responsibility to our stockholders and to my CEO and the company is to build an IP library," Bilson explained, adding that granting their request would "open the doors for everyone else to say, 'I wanna own it too.'". Zampella corroborated Bilson's story, explaining, "As for the IP ownership, frankly, after what we'd just been through with Activision, owning the IP we were going to create was important to us." We can't possibly imagine why.

JoystiqTHQ nearly signed Respawn, but IP ownership was a deal-breaker originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>danny-bilsonintellectual-propertyjason-westRespawn-EntertainmentthqVince-ZampellaFri, 14 Jan 2011 14:40:00 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[Respawn Entertainment 'starting at absolute zero' with EA Partners]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/07/respawn-entertainment-starting-at-absolute-zero-with-ea-partne/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/07/respawn-entertainment-starting-at-absolute-zero-with-ea-partne/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/07/respawn-entertainment-starting-at-absolute-zero-with-ea-partne/#commentsFiled under: , ,


A recent interview by Eurogamer with EA Partners boss David DeMartini offers some good perspective on the actual state of Respawn Entertainment. For those just joining us, Respawn is the studio created by Jason West and Vince Zampella, former heads of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare studio Infinity Ward, after an uncomfortably public break-up with Activision earlier this year. DeMartini says, "I know everybody is going to say, 'Well what are they working on?' The thing everybody needs to remember is they were starting at absolute zero."

DeMartini explains that when EA took the pair on they didn't have a workspace, furniture, HR or any of the basic administration that goes into a development house. The executive claims to have no idea what the duo is working on -- and if the dude fronting the cash doesn't know, it'll be quite a wait before the public finds out.

In comparison, Insomniac's multi-platform project with EA seems to be coming along more rapidly, with DeMartini expecting its unveiling much sooner.

JoystiqRespawn Entertainment 'starting at absolute zero' with EA Partners originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david-demartinieaea-partnerselectronic-artsinsomniacmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Respawn-EntertainmentVince-ZampellaxboxTue, 07 Sep 2010 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Respawn duo, Richard Garriott speaking at QuakeCon 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/respawn-entertainment-richard-garriott-to-appear-at-quakecon-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/respawn-entertainment-richard-garriott-to-appear-at-quakecon-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/respawn-entertainment-richard-garriott-to-appear-at-quakecon-20/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The official schedule has been announced for this year's QuakeCon, which is taking place August 12-15 in Dallas, Texas. In addition to the usual id gallery, none other than Jason West and Vince Zampella of the newly formed Respawn Entertainment will be in attendance.

The ousted Infinity Ward heads will sit on a panel the Friday morning of the conference called "Building Blockbusters," talking with Tim Willits and Tom Howard of id and Bethesda about how to make big games (like the "huge summer blockbuster" they're supposedly working on). Todd Alderman, also of Respawn, will sit on a panel the previous day speaking about "The World of Design" with a few other developers.

Elsewhere in the schedule, John Carmack and Richard Garriott will hold court on Thursday evening discussing rockets and space travel, and Friday and Saturday afternoons will bring preview panels for RAGE and Brink. Sounds like an excellent weekend of FPS gaming -- so if you're in Dallas (or plan to be there), the event is free and open to the public.

JoystiqRespawn duo, Richard Garriott speaking at QuakeCon 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesda-softworksbrinkid-softwarejason-westjohn-carmackmacmicrosoftpcplaystationps3quakecon-2010ragerespawn-entertainmentvince-zampellaxboxFri, 30 Jul 2010 20:30:00 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[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 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[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[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[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[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<![CDATA[VGA 2009: Infinity Ward on Medal of Honor, glitches]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/vga-2009-infinity-ward-on-medal-of-honor-glitches/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/vga-2009-infinity-ward-on-medal-of-honor-glitches/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/vga-2009-infinity-ward-on-medal-of-honor-glitches/#comments
This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and - before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside - we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from Vince Zampella and Jason West from Infinity Ward about Modern Warfare 2.

So what do you all think about Medal of Honor going Modern Warfare?

Vince Zampella: Eh, good for them!

You're not saying, "Hey, this is our territory."

Vince: Nah.

Since the game shipped a month ago, Infinity Ward has been squashing bugs and reading feedback.

Vince: Absolutely. The benefit of making a game that all of our guys love to play is that all of our guys are playing it, and they're running into the same problems that any other player is, so we want to get that stuff fixed as soon as possible.

Jason West: Yeah, the studio has been shut down for all of December, but these guys are playing the game and they want to come in on their own time to fix it and patch it. Considering that they're all on vacation, the responsiveness of the team has been pretty awesome. [Note: based on the new unlimited ammo glitch, they still have some work to do. Unless there's a Christmas miracle]

Has anything really surprised you with multiplayer?

Vince: Well, yeah .. the Javelin thing, obviously [laughs]. Just the fact that somebody picked that out.

Jason: And the infinite Care Package one is pretty impressive, I mean you have to do this, do that and ...

Vince: I could see you accidentally doing it, but then how do you figure out how to go back and replicate it? That's crazy.

So if there's a Modern Warfare 3, what can you possibly pack in to top the Night Vision Goggles?

Vince: This time we'll have a version that comes with a complete tank.

Jason: Yeah, or a full-sized Ghillie suit would be awesome, too.

JoystiqVGA 2009: Infinity Ward on Medal of Honor, glitches originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionInfinity-WardinterviewJason-WestMicrosoftModern-Warfare-2red-carpetspike-vga-2009Vince-ZampellaXbox-360Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST