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Activision Seeking Documents Tying Ex-Infinity Ward Heads To EA
UPDATE: Activision has released an official response to the lawsuit filed against them by ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella.
"Activision is disappointed that Mr. Zampella and Mr. West have chosen to file a lawsuit, and believes their claims are meritless. Over eight years, Activision shareholders provided these executives with the capital they needed to start Infinity Ward, as well as the financial support, resources and creative independence that helped them flourish and achieve enormous professional success and personal wealth.
"In return, Activision legitimately expected them to honor their obligations to Activision, just like any other executives who hold positions of trust in the company. While the company showed enormous patience, it firmly believes that its decision was justified based on their course of conduct and actions. Activision remains committed to the Call of Duty franchise, which it owns, and will continue to produce exciting and innovative games for its millions of fans."
ORIGINAL STORY: The web just keeps getting more tangled in the increasing drama surrounding Activision and the recently-fired Infinity Ward heads, Jason West and Vince Zampella. Just one day after the two spurned employees filed a lawsuit against Activision, an internal memo from the publisher has leaked revealing a possible reason why the duo was let go.
G4TV is reporting that they received this memo from a source close to the publisher and that it hints at the exact nature of the "breaches of contract and insubordination" that Activision cited against West and Zampella in their SEC filing. In a list of documents being dug up for the upcoming legal battle against West and Zampella, the following line stood out:
"Documents regarding West and Zampella's communications with Activision's competitors, including but not limited to Electronic Arts"
The memo continues: "The Dispute involves West and Zampella's management of IW, as well as the development and marketing of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ('MW2') and potential subsequent games developed by IW. Activision believes that it has done nothing wrong and intends to vigorously defend any claims asserted by West and Zampella."
This story is getting crazier with each passing day. What do you think so far? Do you believe that Infinity Ward's lead guys may have been talking to EA, a publisher they famously left in order to form Infinity Ward? And if so, did Activision do anything wrong in terminating their contracts?
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