BREAKING: Weird happenings at Infinity Ward

[Hermiod]

Whatever feelings you may have about IW, at the moment no one does FPS games as well as they do.

Within a certain niche in the genre, perhaps.

Yeah, I'm going to say that as single player experience, Killzone 2 was a considerably better game than Modern Warfare was for me.

I have not played MW2 nor have I played MW online.

Even working within the limitations of the ageing Source Engine, I still think Valve - with Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2 - would argue about the multiplayer side too.

If Activision had persisted with switching studios annually for each CoD game, then I don't think quality would have been a problem. World at War, despite not being an Infinity Ward game, got positive reviews and most people seemed to like it - it just wasn't a Modern Warfare game which is what people really wanted.

 

[Arrqh]

Funny, my gaming site is all up in arms over this situation-primarily due to the perception of a decline in quality in future iterations of the COD franchise. And they do get the business model(heck, some of them are in the industry).

I said "many", not "all" and I've never been to your gaming site so I don't see why it's "funny".

Anyway, this goes beyond the business model. It's more about why publishers and studios do what they do and how. And the gamers who actually understand that it's an industry that behaves in certain ways are in the minority. Case in point, go read the NeoGAF thread on this... the vast majority of people there clearly have no idea what they're talking about. Even more so then usual!

 

[Mistral]

Funny, my gaming site is all up in arms over this situation-primarily due to the perception of a decline in quality in future iterations of the COD franchise. And they do get the business model(heck, some of them are in the industry).

I said "many", not "all" and I've never been to your gaming site so I don't see why it's "funny".

Are you always so antagonistic?

I agree that "many" gamers are drooling morons when it comes to reality and how it works in regards to the industry-I play regularly and am often appalled by the gutter-level discourse on line. But that's for another time and place. All I said was that some gamers are informed, understand the business model and have reacted in various, relatively informed manners towards the recent shake-up-including the ones that associate themselves with my thus far unnamed gaming site. Forgive my use of the word "funny"-perhaps in Canada it isn't used as a substitute for "oddly enough"? Or are you really that literal?

 

[Arrqh]

Are you always so antagonistic?

Actually, that's how I interpreted your comment (I wasn't sure why you were bringing up your own site, I read it as more antagonistic then you meant it) so if that wasn't the case I apologize

I agree that "many" gamers are drooling morons when it comes to reality and how it works in regards to the industry-I play regularly and am often appalled by the gutter-level discourse on line.

And that's pretty much all I was saying. For sure, some gamers are informed. They're just in the minority and this whole event just makes an interesting case study for it.

 

[Mistral]

I have noticed those who are informed have looked on this as an exercise in disconnection-most of the reactions I've seen have commented on the loss of talent and vision in favor of $ - and questioned their brand loyalty because of it. A theme I've seen repeated on IGN/GameSpot, etc.

 

[Rii]

Whatever feelings you may have about IW, at the moment no one does FPS games as well as they do.

Within a certain niche in the genre, perhaps.

Yeah, I'm going to say that as single player experience, Killzone 2 was a considerably better game than Modern Warfare was for me.

I have not played MW2 nor have I played MW online.

Even working within the limitations of the ageing Source Engine, I still think Valve - with Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2 - would argue about the multiplayer side too.

I was thinking more about the variety in the genre in terms of titles like ArmA, STALKER, Rainbow Six, No One Lives Forever, Bioshock, Unreal Tournament, Mirror's Edge, etc. There're all kinds of FPS games that IW haven't touched. If IW is king of a genre, it's one far more narrowly defined than 'FPS'. I prefer to label it the 'aspiring to be Saving Private Ryan' genre.

 

[firehawk12]

Yeah, they are the masters of single player FPS storytelling.

I mean, FPS as a storytelling genre/medium/whatever is about as difficult as trying to tell a story in an RTS. It's why 99% of FPS games exclusively rely on cutscenes to try to convey any story to the player. I still think silent protagonists in FPS games are idiotic, yet Gordan Freeman is the "best video game character ever" or whatever.

The "evolution" of this specific type of storytelling seems to go like this: System Shock -> Half Life -> Call of Duty. While each respective company/developer still iterates on their established game and formula, I'd suggest that IW has tried to make storytelling in FPS games as seamless as possible.

As for Activision - this comes on the heels of Kotick trying to redeem himself at DICE. He said he should have bought Harmonix, not Red Octane. Which is fine, but do you think the founders of Harmonix would have stayed around if they were forced to churn out the number of games that Red Octane had to before they were shut down? Disregarding the idiotic Beatles and Green Day games, they're still on Rock Band *2*.
Most people see CoD becoming the next Guitar Hero - SKUing itself into irrelevancy.

And anyway, I hate Activision because they killed The Silver Lining even though the fans had a deal with Vivendi. But I guess no one cares about that now.

 

[unimatrix7]

I would suggest that Irrational - yeah, and 2k Marin - are the masters of single player FPS storytelling. Any story told in Rapture is by default vastly more interesting than Nazis/Russians/Arabs conspiring to conquer/blow-up the world.

In fact, I think IW's single achievement has been letting you stagger around for about 30 seconds after a nuke goes off in Modern Warfare. Everything else has been played squarely by the numbers, just with lots of Michael Bay-ish spectacle.

 

[Hermiod]

The future of the Call of Duty franchise.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

West and Zampella Files Lawsuit Against Activision

Jason West and Vince Zampella have filed a lawsuit against Activision Publishing, Inc seeking proper royalty payments and the return of the Modern Warfare publishing license to West and Zampella who created it. This comes after Activision forcibly removed the two from their head positions in Infinity Ward and after they helped develop, and release, the most “successful entertainment product offered to the public”.
Take that you big, bad, evil company! You can read the full press release by O’Melveny & Myers LLP (West and Zampella’s legal representation) after the break.

LOS ANGELES, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- O'Melveny & Myers LLP today filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court a lawsuit against Activision Publishing, Inc., on behalf of video game developers Jason West and Vince Zampella. West and Zampella developed two of the most successful videogames in history – Call of Duty and Modern Warfare – at the Infinity Ward studio, a company they co-founded in 2001. After its acquisition by Activision in November 2003, West and Zampella served as president/game director and CEO, respectively. Activision terminated their employment weeks before they were to be paid substantial royalty payments as part of their existing contracts for Modern Warfare 2.

"Activision has refused to honor the terms of its agreements and is intentionally flouting the fundamental public policy of this State (California) that employers must pay their employees what they have rightfully earned," said their attorney Robert Schwartz. "Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public, last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual 'investigation' into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of 'insubordination' and 'breach of fiduciary duty,' which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1st."
"We were shocked by Activision's decision to terminate our contract," said West. "We poured our heart and soul into that company, building not only a world class development studio, but assembling a team we've been proud to work with for nearly a decade. We think the work we've done speaks for itself."

Zampella added, "After all we have given to Activision, we shouldn't have to sue to get paid."
Modern Warfare 2 is arguably one of the most successful games in history and together with Call of Duty, has generated more than $3 billion in sales for Activision. In addition, Activision seized control of the Infinity Ward studio, to which Activision had previously granted creative control over all Modern Warfare-branded games. The suit was filed to vindicate the rights of West and Zampella to be paid the compensation they have earned, as well as the contractual rights Activision granted to West and Zampella to control Modern Warfare-branded games.
The suit includes claims for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, wrong termination in violation of public policy, and declaratory relief.

About O'Melveny & Myers LLP
With approximately 1,000 legal professionals in 14 offices worldwide, O'Melveny & Myers LLP helps industry leaders across a broad array of sectors manage the complex challenges of succeeding in the global economy. We are a values-driven law firm, guided by the principles of excellence, leadership, and citizenship. Our commitment to these values is reflected in our dedication to improving access to justice through pro bono work and championing initiatives that increase the diversity of the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.omm.com or www.omm.cn.​

Lets get readddddddyyyyy tooooo Rummmmmbbblleeeeee.(Plants claymore and camps)

Fiduciary duty, Modern Warfare 7 this time its personal.

 

[PKerr]

"Activision confirmed to IGN this morning the new Call of Duty title slated for release in 2011 is not the same title that will be developed by the newly formed studio Sledgehammer Games.
Confusion arose yesterday afternoon during the announcement which seemed to imply there were two separate titles in development: a new title by Sledgehammer Games and another title by an unknown developer for 2011. That has now been confirmed.

While little details are known about Sledgehammer Games' Call of Duty project, according to the announcement it will "extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre." Activision also confirmed yesterday that Treyarch is developing the next Call of Duty title set for release later this year."

Hmmm.... no I.W. next year?

 

[Yoda]

Well, it's not like we really have the facts behind the lawsuit... but these two certainly seem to have the compelling narrative. They made MW2, the most successful thing since irrigation, and got shit-canned for their troubles before their bonuses were due.

I mean, how the fuck do you fire anyone involved with MW2? These guys should probably be able to walk into an Activision board meeting, take a dump in the middle of the conference table, and hear their praises sung on their way out!

This lawsuit will be very interesting to watch.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Well, it's not like we really have the facts behind the lawsuit... but these two certainly seem to have the compelling narrative. They made MW2, the most successful thing since irrigation, and got shit-canned for their troubles before their bonuses were due.

I mean, how the fuck do you fire anyone involved with MW2? These guys should probably be able to walk into an Activision board meeting, take a dump in the middle of the conference table, and hear their praises sung on their way out!

This lawsuit will be very interesting to watch.

Considering thats the way Activision gets most of its DLC you have to wonder.

 

[firehawk12]

So it looks like it was a contract dispute and they found an excuse to fire them. At this point, they'll probably settle and then move on to greener pastures. Hell, they could use some of the millions they'll probably get to fund themselves for a while if they wanted to.

 

[Hermiod]

There's a great article on this here.

The gist of it is this - West and Zampella wanted free reign to work on games other than just the Modern Warfare segment of the Call of Duty franchise. Activision wanted them to focus on Modern Warfare 2. They were already frustrated by the tight schedules and lack of creative freedom Activision had imposed upon them.

They came to an agreement whereby Infinity Ward would have complete control over any "post-Vietnam" Call of Duty games and the ability to develop new IP after MW2 was finished. This would also tie the two to Infinity Ward at least until 2011.

West and Zampella's argument is that Activision reneged on this deal and started pressuring them to work on MW3 and, allegedly, withheld $36m in royalties and bonuses.

Activision, however, are operating under the belief that West and Zampella had begun early discussions with Electronic Arts to leave Infinity Ward (and no doubt there would be more than a few of their top people going with them) and join EA.

 

[Lindley]

I'm curious, how does one "withhold" a bonus? Isn't it's very nature as a bonus contradictory to the notion of being owed it?

Royalties, sure.

 

[Jax]

Activision, however, are operating under the belief that West and Zampella had begun early discussions with Electronic Arts to leave Infinity Ward (and no doubt there would be more than a few of their top people going with them) and join EA.

Activision are probably going to find out no matter what happens now that they will end up joining EA and most of the staff will still follow so nice one Activision.

How ironic would it be if Activision was being paranoid but as a result of there actions they basically end up giving the core staff of IW to EA who go on to kick there ass for the next few years like IW did when they created COD and basically beat MOH to a bloody plump. I like this bit of the supposed contract

Activision could not publish a Modern Warfare-branded game (or a Call of Duty game set any time later than Vietnam) without West and Zampella's full approval

Oh please I would love it that Activision lose the rights to the Modern Warefare IP because am pretty sure that would result in Bobby fathead Koteck in losing his own job.

Ah Activision I feel your going to need to sit down and remove the foot thats going to be up your ass.

 

[gh4chiefs]

I'm curious, how does one "withhold" a bonus? Isn't it's very nature as a bonus contradictory to the notion of being owed it?

Royalties, sure.

It's because people often mislabel things as bonuses which aren't. I've had recent firsthand experience with this. Our workplace instituted a system for lump sum payments as part of our annual compensation. We complete X tasks and we get so much in a lump sum at end the of the year. We complete Y tasks, and we get this much.

Well we got crucified in the press over this as they referred to it bonsuses. But it's not a bonus, it's compensation for going above and beyond our normal workload.

So the point being, it's likely this is mislabeled as well and was in fact part of their compensation owed to them for completing such and such tasks.

 

[Jax]

Well we got crucified in the press over this as they referred to it bonsuses. But it's not a bonus, it's compensation for going above and beyond our normal workload.

Banker by any chance...if so its the fact that when the company makes losses some of those people who were behind it still get it...reward for failure

Not too mention the size of bonuses too high and that alone encourages stupid risk taking.

 

[Hermiod]

I'm curious, how does one "withhold" a bonus? Isn't it's very nature as a bonus contradictory to the notion of being owed it?

Royalties, sure.

No, not really.

I get a regular salary but on top of that every six months I get a bonus based on my own performance against specific objectives that relate to my job and also the company's performance against company-wide objectives. This is a fixed percentage of my annual salary multiplied by an overall score. If I or the company fail to meet those objectives, that score is reduced and I get less, or even no money. (Some of the company wide ones have a minimum level, say 25%, where anything less is considered 0%).

If I and my company met those objectives and I didn't get the bonus then they would have withheld it.

I imagine the bonus Infinity Ward were due was against some sales target for MW2.