Can someone explain the drama about Infinity Ward after Modern Warfare 2?

I just finished the game and was impressed.

I read that there was something about the senior staff being sued by Activision shortly after the game was finished. Maybe it was to get out of paying a bonus? And that like half of the studio quit soon after.

Any idea?

Okay, I found some link on the net which I lost that says that Activision accused them of delaying a DLC pack to give some breathing space to Battlefield Bad Company 2. And also of some sort of sabotage in releasing a trailer on the same day as a Treyarch game was being announced.

This is minor stuff...

Okay, I found some link on the net which I lost that says that Activision accused them of delaying a DLC pack to give some breathing space to Battlefield Bad Company 2. And also of some sort of sabotage in releasing a trailer on the same day as a Treyarch game was being announced.

This is minor stuff...

taiwwa

Those had nothing to do with it. In a nutshell, Activision fired West and Zampella, who then in turned sued Activision for unpaid promised royalties. The countersuit on Activision's behalf stated that the pair were fired due to (rumored) that they were talking to EA about another job offer behind Activision's back.

Something to do with two or three leads being fired, it was after MW3 actually that many former staff left. Now MW4 is being developed by a completely different group of people, and I don't think they will ever top Black Ops 2.

Basically IW exists in name only.

[QUOTE="taiwwa"]

Okay, I found some link on the net which I lost that says that Activision accused them of delaying a DLC pack to give some breathing space to Battlefield Bad Company 2. And also of some sort of sabotage in releasing a trailer on the same day as a Treyarch game was being announced.

This is minor stuff...

Legendaryscmt

Those had nothing to do with it. In a nutshell, Activision fired West and Zampella, who then in turned sued Activision for unpaid promised royalties. The countersuit on Activision's behalf stated that the pair were fired due to (rumored) that they were talking to EA about another job offer behind Activision's back.

This.

There really wasn't much to it.

[QUOTE="Legendaryscmt"]

[QUOTE="taiwwa"]

Okay, I found some link on the net which I lost that says that Activision accused them of delaying a DLC pack to give some breathing space to Battlefield Bad Company 2. And also of some sort of sabotage in releasing a trailer on the same day as a Treyarch game was being announced.

This is minor stuff...

Blueresident87

Those had nothing to do with it. In a nutshell, Activision fired West and Zampella, who then in turned sued Activision for unpaid promised royalties. The countersuit on Activision's behalf stated that the pair were fired due to (rumored) that they were talking to EA about another job offer behind Activision's back.

This.

There really wasn't much to it.

It seems like a HUGE **** MISTAKE on activision's part to be so paranoid after such a big release. You'd think that they'd pamper up the creative geniuses behind the golden goose.

[QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

[QUOTE="Legendaryscmt"]

Those had nothing to do with it. In a nutshell, Activision fired West and Zampella, who then in turned sued Activision for unpaid promised royalties. The countersuit on Activision's behalf stated that the pair were fired due to (rumored) that they were talking to EA about another job offer behind Activision's back.

taiwwa

This.

There really wasn't much to it.

It seems like a HUGE **** MISTAKE on activision's part to be so paranoid after such a big release. You'd think that they'd pamper up the creative geniuses behind the golden goose.

This is why I've never placed blame on either party for the suit, because there really isn't enough evidence to call out what side was in the wrong. On one hand, there's little doubt that the CoD franchise has had internal struggles and West and Zampella might have been looking for new jobs. On the other side though, with what their positions where and with how much they had to have been making, there had to be some contractual agreement involved with Activision dealing with leaving the company.