Activision v. West and Zampella: The Trial
The Activision v. West and Zampella case pits the creators of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare against the game's publishers in a billion dollar civil trial that is likely to include some of the biggest names in the video game industry. We'll be following the case daily from inside the courtroom, filing updates on the arguments, the witnesses and the accounts of a legal throw down rooted in the fracture between Activision and Infinity Ward. While the case is likely to delve into the Infinity Ward's relationship with Activision, and the relationships other development teams and developers had and have with the publisher, the heart of the case centers around Infinity Ward founders Vince Zampella and Jason West. After releasing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, West and Zampella were fired from Infinity Ward in March 2010 for "breaches of contract and insubordination," according to Activision. The duo sued Activision for wrongful termination, seeking $36 million in unpaid bonuses. Activision later countersued, alleging that West and Zampella attempted to steal away the Infinity Ward team "at the expense of Activision and its shareholders and for their own personal financial gain." All case updates will be included in this Activision v. West and Zampella news stream.
Settlement reached in Call of Duty's billion dollar West v. Activision lawsuit
The courtroom showdown between the creators of Call of Duty and publisher Activision won't be happening. Attorneys involved tell Polygon that the case won't be going before a jury and that it has been resolved.
An attorney representing Jason West and Vince Zampella, former heads of Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward, says a settlement has been reached in the suit but that the terms of that settlement are strictly confidential.
"We have reached a settlement in this matter as to all parties and all claims," said Daniel Petrocelli, one of the attorneys for West and Zampella. "Dismissals will...
Activision has paid Infinity Ward more than $493 million in bonuses for Call of Duty
In a hearing at a Los Angeles Superior Court today, Activision lawyers said the publisher has paid out more than $493 million in bonuses to the original Call of Duty studio since 2003.
While some of those bonuses are awarded based on profits reaped from Infinity Ward-developed games, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the studio also received hefty bonus payouts for games developed by Treyarch and other Call of Duty game developers. Infinity Ward bonus pool payments for Treyarch's 2010 effort Call of Duty: Black Ops, for example, exceeded $100 million.
As part of multiple agreements with...
Activision v. West and Zampella case pushed back to June 1st
The trial between the creators and publishers of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been a long time coming, but today the presiding judge delayed the court date even further.
Judge Elihu Berle, who is presiding in the legal battle between Activision and former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, pushed back the trial from its original court date of May 29th to an expected date of June 1st.
A Polygon editor in the courtroom learned that an extended jury selection is being cited as the reason for the trial's delay. Once things get started, the trial is estimated to run 20 days...
