Tue, Mar 02, 2010 | 07:53 GMT
Rumour – Security shows up at Infinity Ward, studio bosses not seen [Update]
Update: Kotaku‘s found a status message from one of the studio’s bosses Jason West from his Facebook. It says he’s no longer at Infinity Ward.
“Jason West is drinking. Also, no longer employed.”
Update 2: West’s LinkedIn also shows his role at IW as in his “Past” section, as seen here. Thanks, Psychotext.
Update 3: Oh boy. G4′s just updated its piece, saying Activision’s filed to the SEC citing a human resources investigation into “into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward.”
“This matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation. At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company.”
While neither are directly mentioned, it’s safe to assume it’d be about those two. And the formentioned meeting could have been about that. Find the SEC filing here. The mention is on page 131.
Original Story: According to a report from G4, security has shown up at Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward for what’s starting to look like very shady reasons.
A source told the site that when asked why the bouncers had turned up at the studio, they wouldn’t say why, but it is thought that studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West have not been seen at the developer since a meeting with Activision today.
To add further into the story, it was said that the relationship between the studio and publisher has been described recently as “tense”.
The site’s source also said Infinity Ward, as it is, is currently in a “freaked out” and “confused” state.
If this is true, it’s quite concerning. But do take with a truckload of salt.
Most recently, the studio has been prepping for the release of the first DLC for Modern Warfare 2, due this spring.
But it is also thought the studio is to be moving away from Modern Warfare, and is going onto a new IP instead, sources told VG247 back in January.
34 
Posted in: Activision Blizzard, Hot, Rumour
Tags: call of duty, infinity ward, Jason West, modern warfare, vince zampella
34 comments
#1
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 5:27 am
I don’t quite know what to say to this…
If this is true, is anyone actually safe from Activision’s layoffs?
#2
Fnerk
02/03/10, 5:34 am
http://twitter.com/fourzerotwo/status/9861805310
*strokes chin* Boston, eh? Or am I reading into that too much?
#3
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 5:38 am
So am I.
Quite an odd statement to make…
#4
Fnerk
02/03/10, 5:43 am
He got it wrong at first by saying Flogging Molly, which made me suspicious.
#5
DarkElfa
02/03/10, 5:53 am
Perhaps Acti is unhappy with some of the careless things that have happened at IW as of late.
#6
Sethos
02/03/10, 5:58 am
It’s a publicity stunt to take some focus away from the BC2 launch, it’s so obvious.
#7
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 6:05 am
Even Bowling doesn’t know what’s going on.
http://twitter.com/fourzerotwo/status/9862284309
Edit: Actually, things aren’t starting to look good. definitely not looking like a pub stunt. Update soon.
#8
Yoshi
02/03/10, 6:10 am
Im with you Sethos, the cheeky lame little cunts, just ironic that it would happen the week of BFBC2 release week lol
#9
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 6:10 am
Updated.
#10
Psychotext
02/03/10, 6:11 am
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/comment/9/2010/03/d4f055c42ad6d832e66c1d7bc2c53aee/original.png
http://i50.tinypic.com/2u8ckea.png
(Note the now “past” employment title)
Edit – Bah, beaten by one minute.
#11
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 6:21 am
Updated again. Thanks duder.
#12
hitnrun
02/03/10, 6:36 am
Great idea, Activision.
Because the words “Call of Duty” – a phrase that doesn’t even have any trademarked characters attached to it except the recurring name “Cpt. Price” – is more valuable than the team that makes the games. Who needs Inifinity Ward when you retain the right to name your generic shooters “Call of Duty”?
But of course, just because the bosses were fired doesn’t mean Activision is going to lose the talent. It’s not like guys with “Developed the 2 highest grossing FPS titles of all time” on their resume are going to be able to get work elsewhere or anything.
#13
G1GAHURTZ
02/03/10, 7:00 am
Mo money, mo problems.
#14
Soong
02/03/10, 7:25 am
Well if Microsoft ever wanted to start up a new development studio specialized in FPS games, now is the perfect time to start hiring available talent!
#15
kill8joy
02/03/10, 7:34 am
IT’S A HOAX.
This has pr stunt written all over it. And it’s so lame. IW is just acting out against the new cool kid in town. It’s ok, I guess it’s fair since BF disses MW2 in a couple scenes (look it up, it’s hilarious!).
PS- I used my MW2 copy as a preorder for BF and the guy at EB actually looked pissed. Funniest shit I’ve seen in a while. I made an enemy that day.
#16
Johnny Cullen
02/03/10, 7:41 am
Shit’s properly hit the fan. Check the update.
#17
G1GAHURTZ
02/03/10, 7:45 am
I won’t hold my breath for MW3 then…
#18
Soong
02/03/10, 7:48 am
Rumour has it that Jason West was fired due to his alleged drinking problem.
#19
G1GAHURTZ
02/03/10, 7:48 am
“At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company.”
They seem to have forgotten exactly why IW was formed in the first place.
Yep… Looks like this is going to get very messy indeed.
#20
Yoshi
02/03/10, 7:50 am
Lmao G1GA they obviously guna make a MW3 even if some get fired, they’ll still shit 1 out
#21
G1GAHURTZ
02/03/10, 7:55 am
Ashcraft and me are thinking along the same lines in this case.
@ Yoshi:
Yeah, I suppose Acti will just get Treyarch to do it now or something, but I meant an IW made MW3.
#22
Bulk Slash
02/03/10, 8:15 am
I wonder if Activision demanded IW make Modern Warfare 3 and the studio heads just said “no”, so Uncle Bobby Kotick sent his goons over to get rid of the troublemakers. Now the Call of Duty conveyor belt can continue churning out sequels unimpeded.
#23
Blerk
02/03/10, 8:32 am
I’m not having a day off again. It’s too dangerous!
#24
Petulant Radish
02/03/10, 8:51 am
A drinking problem in the states constitutes having a few pints after work every day and a bottle of vodka with breakfast, and what the hell is wrong with that? Mormons!
#25
dirigiblebill
02/03/10, 8:51 am
Wonder why Zampella got the boot then? He’s a nice chap.
#26
Blerk
02/03/10, 8:56 am
Pork scratchings addict.
#27
dirigiblebill
02/03/10, 8:57 am
Pork scratchings = predominantly UK fetish. I think you have to be over 25 to eat them in the US, anyway.
#28
Blerk
02/03/10, 9:01 am
My pal once opened a bag down the pub and it contained three pork scratchings in total. Two normal sized ones, and one huge one featuring a complete (and rather hairy) nipple. He didn’t eat it.
#29
dirigiblebill
02/03/10, 9:04 am
It pains me to say this, being an emancipated man and all, but – what a girl. Hairy nipples are the pork industry’s equivalent of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets.
#30
G1GAHURTZ
02/03/10, 9:12 am
Maybe Acti wanted someone else to do MW3 after all…
Maybe they told IW to hand all MW2 code over to the new guys…
Maybe IW said ‘no way Kotick! This is our game!!’…
Maybe Kotick said ‘I’m the boss! You’re nothing without me! Just remember that WE made YOU, not the other way around!’…
Maybe IW threatened to leave Acti like they left EA…
Maybe Acti decided to get rid of the ‘trouble makers’ and ‘nip it in the bud’ quickly…
Maybe I’m just speculating…
Maybe I’ll go and play some MW2 while I think about it…
#31
The Hindle
02/03/10, 10:17 am
Woah these guys are the main force behind Modern Warfare without them it will be shit.
#32
Hunam
02/03/10, 12:43 pm
Heh, IWard had a good run but the thing that made people love them is the studio and with new management replacing long term team members will no doubt dilute the studio and I think even cause a lot of the people their to walk out with their bosses and start a new studio like they did at 2015.
Then again, maybe they were a problem and them thinking themselves indispensable and thus shirking their responsibilities could be the exact reason. I guess we all just assume (usually correctly) Activision are just being dicks, but we don’t know the whole story.
#33
Goliath
02/03/10, 2:53 pm
This is going to be a shit storm, like an ugly divorce with so much money involved.
#34
Dralen
02/03/10, 5:27 pm
Big FPS developers would be fools to not and try and hire these guys.