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Activision Pays Out $42 Million To Infinity Ward Employee Group
The legal battle between Activision and former employees Jason West and Vince Zampella has grabbed the headlines, but other ex-Infinity Ward developers are also looking for their day in court and a settlement. Activision just paid out $42 million to the Infinity Ward Employee Group without being told to do so, but is this the end of the legal acrimony?
The group, which originally consisted of 38 plaintiffs, was seeking royalty payments for their work on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (above). According to Polygon, Activision's recent $42 million payment, however, may be just the beginning. The Infinity Ward Employee Group is seeking $75 to $125 million, as well as up to $500 million in punitive damages. Since Activision's $42 million wasn't the result of an actual settlement, the group's lawyer says that they can still pursue more money.
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick reportedly made the payment because the company determined that since the actions of the Infinity Ward Employee Group weren't related to the actions of West and Zampella, Activision decided to pay the group a sum that Activision felt the group was owed.
All the legal actions between Activision, the Employee Group, and West/Zampella are ongoing.
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