IW isn't breaking up from what it sounds like. The two heads seemed to clash with Activision so they were let go but the rest of the creative and technical talent is still there.

To me, the sales of Activision's games suggest that they are totally in tune with the gamer perspective.  High sales = a game people care about enough to actually purchase.  Low sales = a game people don't care about enough to purchase.  That's not really arguable imo.  Activision has been very successful at creating games people care about while EA has been slipping up a lot lately.  If not for Bio-Ware, you could make a strong argument that everything Ricetello has done has been a huge misstep for what gamers actually care about.

That would be true if your business model relied on small budget PC, DS, PSP titles.

But thinking purely from a gamer's perspective would be risky if you're going to tackle big budget games.

Edit: Keep in mind this is, of course, speaking from the viewpoint of a publisher.

Kotick's problem is that he thinks purely as a businessman.

That's fine if you think in the short term, but sales at EA were slipping before Ricetello changed their focus. Activision were doing quite well, but the majority of their revenue is based around WoW, CoD and G:Hero. Eventually, these franchises aren't going to be as popular unless reinvigorated with extra creatvity a la Modern Warfare, or unless new franchises are created. We've already seen G:Hero sales drop. EA made the same mistakes before Ricetello changed their focus and is actually more why they're suffering now. You also seem to forget that certain sports franchises are more popular than ever. The latest Fifa is classed as being far superior to PES. Eidos made similar mistakes as well; banking everything on the slowly dying franchise of Tomb Raider before Square Enix bought them out.

^ If you're going to hand pick titles I can hand pick more Activision titles that's are doing great in their genre for reviews. Also, I don't see how making games people want to play is detrimental to long term success.

I was wondering that myself. I mean, that's how Infinity Ward came about in the first place, right? Defection of talent from EA? Perhaps Activision caught wind of something brewing, and pulled a "you can't quit! You're fired!" on them.

Looks like Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has scheduled meeting with the folks at Infinity Ward, and it’s set to happen in the next few hours.


According to sources close to G4, Kotick will address development leads at IW around noon PST which is just over an hour away.

No word on what the meeting entails, likely it has something to do with the “insubbordination” bit posted earlier which saw the departure of studio head Vince Zampella and CTO Jason West.

After Kotick is finished chatting with IW heads, there is to be a second meeting for studio as a whole.

If that is the case West will not be out of work long, he will be hired quickly, there loss, gaming Industry is crazy, I have a family member that is a developer for Lucas Arts, there mild compared to most , and the things he has told me , have blown my mind. Its crazier then most would think.

"Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West reportedly met with Activision this morning and have not been seen by Infinity Ward staff members since."

Kotick ate them.

I think Infinity Ward, as we know it is done...These guys are going to start up a new studio, and cause a brain drain at Infinity Ward...I would, that's for sure...