Founders of Infinity Ward Forced Out of Activision
posted Saturday Mar 6, 2010 by Nicholas DiMeo
A couple of days ago, non-uniformed security guards showed up at Infinity Ward's offices unannounced and did not speak to any of the employees there. Several hours later, Jason West and Vince Zampella, the co-founders of Infinity Ward Studios and the huge blockbuster game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 were escorted out of the building. Were they given a choice, or was it a power move by Activision's top brass? Looks to me like Activision was well aware of what was going to happen.
On Monday, Activision filed a form 10:K with the SEC, mentioning many details about problems with the company that we find suspicious.
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.
What the hell? Insubordination, breaches of contract? Here's what else we know: Activision announced some additions to the Call of Duty series that perhaps West and Zampella didn't necessarily agree with.
The company intends to expand the "Call of Duty" brand with the same focus seen in its Blizzard Entertainment business unit. This will include a focus on high-margin digital online content and furthering the brand as the leading action entertainment franchise in new geographies, new genres and with new digital business models.
What the co-founders did upon hearing this news is unknown, but Treyarch is releasing a Call of Duty game in the fall, and ex-EA talent Glen A. Schofield and Michael Condrey (Sr. Development Director of Dead Space) are heading up a wholly-owned studio named Sledgehammer Games and are extending the Call of Duty franchise into the action-adventure genre. Seems to us that Activision is selling off the rights to the Call of Duty name to whoever wants to pay them, and with that, milking the franchise into oversaturation the same way they did with the Guitar Hero franchise. But this is how Activision Blizzard is; they make their success and fame from large franchises and promises of games never to come - right, Starcraft 2?
Since this news broke out, we've been researching like crazy for more information, and we found some. West and Zampella have sued Activision for "breach of contract" and rights to the Modern Warfare 2 name. After their treatment in addition to the fact that Call of Duty games have generated over $3 billion in sales for Activision, who can blame them? We have some details on their lawsuit.
The suit was filed to vindicate the rights of West and Zampella to be paid the compensation they have earned, as well as the contractual rights Activision granted to West and Zampella to control Modern Warfare-branded games.
Interestingly enough, we also learned more information from the cofounders' lawyer.
Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public, last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual 'investigation' into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of 'insubordination' and 'breach of fiduciary duty,' which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1st.
That's all we got for now. We will definitely keep you posted and make sure you listen to our show on Sunday at 9PM ET to hear us break this topic down!
