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.