| Killergran said: It sounds like a major fuck-up on Activisions part. Keep your employees happy, especially if they make products whose profits are keeping the company afloat. Of course, the Call of Duty and Modern Warfare names will still bring in money without a functioning Infinity Ward, but not at a comparable level. I wonder what on earth they did, really, and if they think it was worth this debacle. |
They were arranging to move the entire studio to EA by putting off work on new games that would make the other workers easier to poach even though they had a deal to not negotiate anything until their contracts run out.
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/activision-blasts-west-and-zampella-in-countersuit/
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!
