Rumour – Activision holding back Infinity Ward royalties to keep staff

IW Dev: “This is BS! I’m outta here! …Once i’m paid!”

On a serious note this dosnt sound to legal.

Yeah, surely there has to be a set date when loyalties must be paid?

I know it’s illegal in the UK to withold monies, but not sure about the US.

If this is true then they are cunts, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a mass exodus about 1 nanosecond after the royalties are eventually paid.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/27482/Analysis_Infinity_Wards_DoubleEdged_Sword.php

According to the above Gamesutra article, royalties aren’t due to be paid until next month.

Wow this really has degenerated alot and quickly =/

Really given activision’s reputation I would be inclined to think of this as true and I am sick of their shit. I ain’t giving them my money ever again. They ruined call of duty by making it a ****ing parody of disneyworld >_>

I have a feeling they are going to be waiting for a long time lol

I’m even having second thoughts about getting the DLC, day 1.

I’m not too keen on giving Acti any of my money any more… Especially if they’re just planning on keeping it for Bobby Kotick’s fat pockets instead of paying the IW staff.

Yet again kotik or whatever the slimey piece of shits name is yet again proven to be scum of the earth.

I wonder when they’re going to start auctioning off the members of the development team. I mean if you’re going to keep them as slaves you might as well maximize your profits. It’s not like they’ll object to being sold, what are they gonna do, forfeit their royalties? Hah!

I’ll keep following this in case there’s a geeky chick with a nice boobjob in there somewhere.

Slavery sillies aside though, I don’t think it’s a nice tribute to make another “boycott” (as if the last one was ever real) of Modern Warfare 2, simply because Activision are greedy pigs. All publishers are greedy pigs, games are only made to make money these days – You’re just noticing this now? Personally I’ll keep enjoying their game and admiring the work of those poor enslaved people. Keep in mind they ARE still entitled to royalties.

@Kalain: It’s illegal in the US, but not a criminal matter. The distinction being that a court will eventually order the royalties paid, plus damages for the delay and maybe more damages for illegal labor practices, but meanwhile the FBI isn’t going to kick down the doors and line Bobby Kotick up against a wall.

In the US, almost everything is settled between lawyers

Nah, I didn’t mean an all out boycott.

More, a day 1 boycott, or at least for a few days after release.

Practically all that I play is MW2, and I haven’t even felt the need to buy another game since I first got it. So as welcome as these new maps will be for me, I think that it would be a good idea to let Acti know just how much support there is for IW by not getting the DLC until a few days after release as a sort of protest…

@hitnrun

Yeah.. its the same here as well.

@G1G Well the idea is awesome. Activision should be punished for disrespecting not only the guys behind their biggest franchise, but the peons who make it all possible.

I just don’t really see how. To make a difference you’d need a movement. Petitions are just cute and semi-boycotts are just kinda meh, it doesn’t do anything. And unlike Ubisoft their games are still functional, they’re still fun, and they’re still made by those guys getting fucked over now.

You can always hope that the far more professional people in the Blizzard camp bitchslap them around internally. Although I doubt it. They don’t need marital grief on top of this.

I think the best outcome is that those developers make them pay. I’d love to see a class action thing going on with a mega settlement. Fingers crossed.

this is some fucking rotten shit. sue the bones offa them. and every IW dev? LEAVE! you worked on MW2 for fuck sake. you’ll get a job anywhere!

this is crazy!

first it was with Itagaki and Tecmo, now this.

stupid bastards, those staff should join the suing!

This is absolutely disgusting to be honest. I hope any developers in the future never choose to join this terrible company.

Why with hold the royalties? whether they leave now or later the result is the same except now they just confirmed they are douche bags.

I’d imagine a few of the devs would have left to pursue bigger roles in other companies after a game of that size, but no doubt the entire team will want to walk after the shit Kotick pulled.

Seems like they won’t receive those royalties if they leave before a certain time….prolly something in their contract

I do wonder how manyu people that are so discusted by the actions of Acti will actually boycott the map pack, this is the only wayto let them know peoples feelings, and it could actually work. Unfortunately most people dont actually give a shit.

More than that, outside of the hardcore such as us, how many would know? I’d imagine that the people who know probably represent 10% of the people potentially buying the map pack.

remember that Activition even tried to act like Big shots and threatening Sony they will pull off if they don’t reduce the Beast’ price:/

I still haven’t bought MW2 so I don’t feel like a sellout. Bad Company 2 for the mother fucking win.

“Nah, I didn’t mean an all out boycott.

More, a day 1 boycott, or at least for a few days after release.

Practically all that I play is MW2, and I haven’t even felt the need to buy another game since I first got it. So as welcome as these new maps will be for me, I think that it would be a good idea to let Acti know just how much support there is for IW by not getting the DLC until a few days after release as a sort of protest…”

What a load of utter crap.

What the hell is boycotting the DLC for a few days going to prove? Nothing. The money will go in their pockets regardless. Postponing you purchase for a few days not only proves nothing, but does nothing. They just get their money a few days later.

You just want to *feel* like you’re offering support to Infinity Ward, but your liking of the game means you’re unwillingly to stop playing it or supporting Activision to prove your point. That way you can feel like you’ve “fought the good fight” without actually sacrificing anything.

As soon as I know the whole truth of this situation, I’m selling my copy of Modern Warfare 2 and staying away from all future Activision games full stop.

Ignoring the fact that almost everything out of them since the merger has been utter trash, the company’s policies and treatment of its staff is is absolutely disgusting. E.A. a few years back, when it was at its worst, wasn’t even *half* as bad as this.

I’m one person, and my decision to boycott them will have absolutely no effect whatsoever – this I’m more than aware of – but it’s the principle that counts.

I agree with connor.

From now on I will buy acti products on the used bins. heh.

What about Blizzard then? They’re sort of one and the same them and Acti. Will you be holding off their stuff to?

I’m not into PC gaming right now. So no problem for me there.

Tut tut, Acti. Again.

There’s a terrible amount of irony in the way they’re acting of late, given that Activision was originally set up by irate developers who were sick of their bosses treating them like crap and giving them no credit for their hard work.

I wish Infinity Ward would get away from Activision, i dont care if theyd join EA. EAs games have proven to show more and more quality so i dont think IWs games would change in terms of content, only that crappy activision logo would vanish to be replaced by an ea logo.

“The money will go in their pockets regardless. Postponing you purchase for a few days not only proves nothing, but does nothing. They just get their money a few days later.”

Whose pockets are you talking about??

IW staff should still be getting money from the DLC, whether they have to sue it out of Acti or not, so there’s no problem in buying the DLC if IW staff end up getting a share. Completely boycotting it not only means less money for Acti, but less money for IW staff too.

That money could obviously also go a long way towards their setting up of another studio away from Activision.

Rather, what I’ve suggested is clearly much more pragmatic than your self righteous one man boycott, because as anyone with a brain can figure out, it’s not going to be an easy job convincing MW2 fans like myself to just stop playing their favourite game or downloading DLC that should end up improving their favourite gaming experience.

I think that most of us could handle a day or two without the new maps, but to just stop playing??

LOL! Yeah right.

The reality is that sooner or later, the current IW staff will almost certainly end up setting up a new studio, so Acti’s current CoD fanbase will also almost certainly end up shrinking a huge deal, just as happened with the likes of MoH and Championship Manager before similar Studio vs Publisher splits.

So you stick to your one man ‘protest’, even though you didn’t even get anywhere close to finishing MW2 and played the online for about one whole hour!

Good job.

@25 You know, I think I’d rather stick with hypocrisy and a good game rather than throw mine away and accomplish absolutely fuck all anyway. All you’ll be doing by throwing a perfectly good game away is indulging your own self-righteousness. I don’t see how that’s more admirable than a symbolic, equally useless boycott.

humanfish is right though, we don’t give a crap to the extent that we’ll stop playing an awesome game. Kinda in the same way I still feel comfortable in my t-shirt although it was made by poor peoples children.

As far as the average gamer “sticking it to EA” goes – Just forget about it. They already won the war by xmas.

“Rather, what I’ve suggested is clearly much more pragmatic than your self righteous one man boycott, because as anyone with a brain can figure out, it’s not going to be an easy job convincing MW2 fans like myself to just stop playing their favourite game or downloading DLC that should end up improving their favourite gaming experience.”

I’m not doing it to convince anyone. I’m doing it because *I* don’t respect what the company is doing and *I* don’t want to support them. I said that pretty damn clear in my post.

You buying the DLC a few days later proves nothing to anyone. You’re part of the problem, not the solution, and the fact that many like you try to justify your support of the company despite what they’re doing is exactly why I would never even *bother* to waste my time on a “vendetta”, like so many other internet morons do.

“All you’ll be doing by throwing a perfectly good game away is indulging your own self-righteousness.”

What they’re doing is disgusting, and I see no sense in continuing to support said company. In case you didn’t read what I actually posted, I *did* say my decision wouldn’t achieve anything.

I’m doing it as matter of principle on my behalf. It’s called “voting wit your wallet”. Try it. It doesn’t fucking matter if other people don’t follow my lead. I’m not doing it for their approval.

Bunch of sycophants.

“So you stick to your one man ‘protest’,”

What “protest”? I plainly said it was a issue of principle, not some sort of “vendetta” or “protest” against the company. I have no respect for them, and I do not want to support them. It’s simple as that.

I love how *both* of you completely ignore the paragraph where I very plainly stated that.

“even though you didn’t even get anywhere close to finishing MW2 and played the online for about one whole hour!”

Stop talking out of your ass: http://raptr.com/MichaelOConnor

I’m no hardcore player of the game by any stretch – I’ll boot it up when friends are playing it or I’m bored, but I still enjoyed it.

A more effective alternative to boycotting the MW2 DLC (temporarily or otherwise) might be to start a petition that allows for future boycotts of Activision products, amongst other things. It wouldn’t make the blindest bit of difference in the short term – Activision will still get their DLC cash, and Infinity Ward will still come away with a sore arse – and in all likelihood, any measures proposed would never be put into practice, but it *would* damage the company’s profile for good, given adequate promotion and a coherent non-knee-jerk message. Facebook laps up this kind of stuff. Just an idea.

Hey Uncontested the Modern Warfare franchise is one of the best fps of all time.

Its online is probably the best of all time in my personal opinion and 15m other people may think the same as well. Youre hardly a sellout if you buy that game.

Im personally not buying any more Cod games after MW 2 though now that the main creatitive force has been fired from the franchise.

A more effective alternative to boycotting the MW2 DLC (temporarily or otherwise) might be to start a petition that allows for future boycotts of Activision products”

lolinternetpetitions.

I can assure you quite reliably that it would not “damage the company’s profile” in the slightest. It will cause absolutely no damage to the company’s profile in the slightest.

Nobody will care, as has been proven by the Diablo III petition, the MW dedicated servers petition, the “L4D2 is just a sequel” petition, and any other number of petitions.

Those who care will have already decided on the action necessary, and those who aren’t complete pussies will actually stick to their guns.

Why do people only want to follow a cause when they believe they can win? What ever happened to simply doing things on principle? Just vote with your wallet, instead of hoping people with follow you, and stick to their guns while doing so.

“Its online is probably the best of all time in my personal opinion and 15m other people may think the same as well. Youre hardly a sellout if you buy that game.”

From an entirely skill and strategy based perspective, MW2 is an utter mess. The game is cluttered with game-breaking power ups and class set-ups, and has next to no balance.

“the “L4D2 is just a sequel” petition”

Because of that Crash Course and the L4D1 part of the Crossing turned up. Plus Valve commented on it several times and flew two people to their offices to turn their minds. The rest got nowhere, but that’s because the people running the pettition were idiots, if they’d used their brains they’d have emailed everyone on that list to write a letter to [insert publisher name here] telling them that they weren’t going to by x product and why that was. A petition on it’s own does fuck all. Like the RATM thing, you have to leverage the fact you have people together on an issue into goading them to action.

Voting with the wallet is a sure fire way, but only if you tell them why that is rather than letting them come to their own (wrong) conclusions.

Correction, that was meant to say “L4D2 is just an expansion pack”.

Heh, I never realised it said sequel I just went with it anyway. Just saying that the people in charge of that, you know, till valve flew them to their office/had words with them were actually gaining leverage because they were active and in communication with the people who were following them, like the RAGE christmas no.1 thing. The MW2 one was a joke though. I saw a that group after the game had come out and about 70% of them were fucking playing the game in the petition group. What a fucking bunch of morons.

/may have actually bought MW2 and L4D2…probably will buy SC2
/is part of the problem
/MW2 is on the 360 though… so you know… um, that’s something
/at least I waited a few months on each before welching on it

“I’m not doing it to convince anyone. I’m doing it because *I* don’t respect what the company is doing and *I* don’t want to support them. I said that pretty damn clear in my post.”

Wow, you really do talk utter nonsense almost all of the time, don’t you? Who said anything about *you* convincing anyone!? *I* most certainly didn’t, so exactly why you tried to make a point out of something that wasn’t said speaks volumes about you.

“You buying the DLC a few days later proves nothing to anyone. You’re part of the problem, not the solution, and the fact that many like you try to justify your support of the company despite what they’re doing is exactly why I would never even *bother* to waste my time on a “vendetta”, like so many other internet morons do.”

*I* made it pretty clear, and anyone who’s not an UTTER IDIOT can see the obvious FACT that IW WILL RECIEVE MONEY FOR THE DLC!!! So stop talking gibberish.

It’s IRONIC that you ‘burst’ in here claiming “As soon as I know the whole truth of this situation, I’m selling my copy of Modern Warfare 2…” yet now all of a sudden, the “truth” has become clear to you, and you can now exclaim “What they’re doing is disgusting“!

The FACT of the matter is that IW staff should most certainly get paid for this DLC, ‘whether they have to sue Acti for it or not!’

I noticed that your selective reading didn’t allow you to respond to that…

All we KNOW now is that two senior staff have been dismissed from IW. We don’t KNOW exactly WHY and everything else is just rumour and speculation. For all we know, the entire IW staff could have been desperate to see the back of those two, and they’re loving it up with Acti at this point, waiting for their bonuses that were contracted to arrive next month.

So the sudden switch of yours from, ‘*I* don’t know the whole truth of this situation’ into ‘what they’re doing is disgusting and you’re part of the problem’ is just childish gibberish.

“What they’re doing is disgusting, and I see no sense in continuing to support said company. In case you didn’t read what I actually posted, I *did* say my decision wouldn’t achieve anything.”

Nobody said otherwise!

“I’m doing it as matter of principle on my behalf. It’s called “voting wit your wallet”. Try it.”

As has been pointed out on numerous occasions, nobody really CARES what you do. So go on and do it!

“What “protest”? I plainly said it was a issue of principle, not some sort of “vendetta” or “protest” against the company. I have no respect for them, and I do not want to support them. It’s simple as that.
I love how *both* of you completely ignore the paragraph where I very plainly stated that.”

Why do you keep quoting the word “vendetta”!? The only person who’s used that word in this entire comment section is YOU!

In any case, not buying any more Acti products because of the “disgusting” way that they’ve acted *IS* a protest in the *LITERAL* sense of the word, whether you think it will achieve anything or not!! *FACT*.

“Stop talking out of your ass: http://raptr.com/MichaelOConnor
I’m no hardcore player of the game by any stretch – I’ll boot it up when friends are playing it or I’m bored, but I still enjoyed it.”

What, exactly is that pathetic link supposed to prove!?

Nothing there shows that you completed the incredibly short campaign, as you’ve only got a couple of hundred achievment points, and as for online, there’s nothing there to suggest that you’ve even reached first prestige!

Whether you enjoyed it or not is UTTERLY IRRELEVANT. You’ve BARELY played the game!

Now all of a sudden, you’re telling anyone who’ll listen that you’re going to sell your copy because you’re so ‘disguted’ and now you have “no respect” for Acti, as if you were “sacrificing” one of your favourite games!

LOL!

What a waste.

G1GAHURTZ’ post provides evidence as to why there should be a Firefox extension that can simply remove any post containing the abbreviation L-O-L, because there isn’t a single word worth consideration tied to that abbreviation.

I also like how G1GAHURTZ badgers Michael with the burden of proof, and does nothing to lend credence or proof to his own points beyond flinging childish insults.

Other things I got a good chortle out of:

- His use of irony really isn’t at all correct.
- He uses capitalisation, italics, and litters symbols around as though he were mentally unbalanced, I can almost imagine his mind screaming in red, hot flaming fury at Michael across the Internet.
- The points Michael has so eloquently made just tend to fly over his head.
- He makes sweeping assumptions about things that he’s unable to know.

He’s pretty much exactly what I hate about the console community, and funny for all the wrong reasons.

Since you like throwing the burden of proof fallacy around so much, G1GAHURTZ, why not back up your own points?

Where is your proof that…

- …he hasn’t completed the game?
- …Activision doesn’t have some contractual clause that allows them to rake in almost all (if not all) the profits from the DLC, leaving IW with little legal rights to anything?

I’m expecting a reply which will be the literal equivalent of an orangutan flinging shit (capitalised insults aplenty, then).

“/is part of the problem”

Nothing wrong with buying L4D2 mate. It’s a great game, and far from the “expansion pack” its made out to be.

“Who said anything about *you* convincing anyone!? *I* most certainly didn’t”

You most certainly did.

Right here: “It’s not going to be an easy job convincing MW2 fans like myself to just stop playing their favourite game.”

“It’s IRONIC that you ‘burst’ in here claiming “As soon as I know the whole truth of this situation, I’m selling my copy of Modern Warfare 2…” yet now all of a sudden, the “truth” has become clear to you, and you can now exclaim “What they’re doing is disgusting“!”

Strenuous argument that can’t add 1 and 1 to together. What they *have* done is pretty disgusting, from firing them to planting goddamn security to with-holding royalty. What I’m waiting for is information on *why* all this is happening.

“I noticed that your selective reading didn’t allow you to respond to that…”

No, I simply ignored it, because neither of us know if they will. It’s not like the guys aren’t around swimming in money anyway. I’m not stupid enough to champion them as some poor victims of corporate abuse.

“Nothing there shows that you completed the incredibly short campaign, as you’ve only got a couple of hundred achievment points, and as for online, there’s nothing there to suggest that you’ve even reached first prestige!

Whether you enjoyed it or not is UTTERLY IRRELEVANT. You’ve BARELY played the game!”

Because… ya know… a person only has a valid opinion of the game (despite the fact that this argument is about the company, not the game) if they’ve reached firth or six and completely the game on ZOMG EVERY DIFFICULTY LEVEL!!11eleventyone11!!11

You, my good sir, are an elitist moron. 14 hours of play-time is more than enough for me to reach a personal assessment of the game. Oh wait… no it hasn’t, because I’m not ze hardcores leetz 7th Prestige! I’m such a noob.

Moron.

“Why do you keep quoting the word “vendetta”!? The only person who’s used that word in this entire comment section is YOU!”

Vendetta. Crusade. Protest. Same difference.

“Where is your proof that…

- …he hasn’t completed the game?”

I haven’t, but I’m about 1 or 2 missions from the end. That’s irrelevant though. I’ve played enough and *learned* enough from players who *are* hardcore players that the game is an unbalanced mess in multi-player

“- …Activision doesn’t have some contractual clause that allows them to rake in almost all (if not all) the profits from the DLC, leaving IW with little legal rights to anything?”

This. This whole *thing* screams of Activision trying to wring its way out of paying royalties.

Thanks TheWulf. It’s nice to see someone on here has basic reading comprehension and the ability to discuss the entire point, instead of selective, non-related arguments.

The simple fact of the matter GIGA, is that your interest in playing a video game is more important to you than your principles. I find that… sad, to be honest. But not surprising. That’s what most people are like.

These people are loaded with money whether you buy it or not.

Michael, do you have a problem with buying used? I only have WaW, but I bought it used and have none of the DLC. Would that be a better alternative for you? Do you dislike buying used games?

Also, on the MW2 DLC subject, if Acti isn’t paying them royalties for making the game, what makes anyone think that they’ll get paid when you buy the DLC? Just sounds like excuses to me.

“You most certainly did.

Right here: “It’s not going to be an easy job convincing MW2 fans like myself to just stop playing their favourite game.””

I can guarantee you that you are mistaken. Try reading it again, this time noticing that the initial subject of the sentence is none other than myself.

Lets make it easier for you…

“Rather, what *I’ve* suggested [ie. a temporary boycott for people who fully intend to buy the DLC, regardless] is clearly much more pragmatic than your self righteous one man boycott, because as anyone with a brain can figure out, it’s not going to be an easy job [for me or anyone else if I eventually decide do encourage others to take action] convincing MW2 fans like myself [ie. people who play it daily] to just stop playing their [and my] favourite game or downloading DLC that should end up improving their [and my] favourite gaming experience.”

So you misunderstood me.

“What I’m waiting for is information on *why* all this is happening.”

What ARE you talking about!?

Why in the world does “*why*” have any bearing on whether or not you sell your game!!?

You CLEARLY imply that you’re holding off selling your game until you “know the whole truth of this situation“, so if it’s such an open and shut case that Acti are in the wrong here, then sell your copy now.

Nonsense!

“No, I simply ignored it, because neither of us know if they will. It’s not like the guys aren’t around swimming in money anyway. I’m not stupid enough to champion them as some poor victims of corporate abuse.”

Yeah sure, so you ignored the FACT that other than in extraordinary circumstances, (like they all get swallowed up in an earthquake or something) IW will eventually end up getting paid for the DLC because….

…They’ve already got money…

Riiiiiiiiiight.

Stop talking nonsense Michael!

“You, my good sir, are an elitist moron. 14 hours of play-time is more than enough for me to reach a personal assessment of the game. Oh wait… no it hasn’t, because I’m not ze hardcores leetz 7th Prestige! I’m such a noob.”

You FAIL at trying to twist my point, dear Michael.

Not once have I ever stated anything about you having a less than valid opinion, so again, you’re addressing a point that wasn’t even made.

Apparantly in the vain hope that I follow you down some twisted garden path towards Wonderland or something…

Let me make it CLEAR for you.

You haven’t even finished the campaign! After all this time, you’ve played a MEASLY 14 hours, most of which you probably spent on Spec Ops. If you ‘sell your copy’, it means absolutely NOTHING, because you clearly aren’t going to miss it all that much, are you!? It’s an EMPTY GESTURE.

It’s like the Pope saying that he’s not going to smoke crack cocaine in public from now on. It’s an empty self righteous shout for attention.

Whether you have a valid opinion on whether the game is good or not is 100% besides the point, so why are you even talking about that??

“Vendetta. Crusade. Protest. Same difference.”

Actually, these words are nowhere near being synonymous. They mean completely different things in almost every single context that you could possibly think of. So don’t invent quotes that were never made!

“Thanks TheWulf. It’s nice to see someone on here has basic reading comprehension and the ability to discuss the entire point, instead of selective, non-related arguments.”

LOL!!!! Quality!

Michael is so focused on arguing points that nobody even made, that he thanks and praises Phil.

Nice!

“The simple fact of the matter GIGA, is that your interest in playing a video game is more important to you than your principles. I find that… sad, to be honest. But not surprising. That’s what most people are like.”

Wow!

How many times do different people have to tell you to get off your high horse before the penny finally drops, Michael?

Classic.

“Also, on the MW2 DLC subject, if Acti isn’t paying them royalties for making the game, what makes anyone think that they’ll get paid when you buy the DLC? Just sounds like excuses to me.”

Royalties can be tied to anything from units sold to profits made.

It’s proven that expansions and DLC can boost sales of the original title, so the more popular it becomes, the more publicity the game gets and the more copies of the main game get sold.

Like for example, the free XBL weekend that’s coming up for MW2 that xbox.com are currently marketing.

No doubt, timed to coincide with the new DLC.

If Acti are contractually obliged to pay royalties, then besides sacking the entire IW studio, there isn’t really much that they can do to stop paying them.

Even if the IW staff end up having to take legal action, Acti won’t really have a case.

G1GA, the problem is you’re hooked, so you want that DLC. Michael, while still owning it, doesn’t have the love for that game like most do, so he doesn’t have that attachment. Maybe selling/trashing the game is short-sighted, boycotting a little extreme (Buy it used!), but giving them your money because you don’t think it’ll make a difference isn’t any better.

Royalties: If they made such a great selling game in the first place and didn’t get them then, a few thousand more + DLC wont do it.

G1GA, Michael, can you two just get it on already and save us from this relentless flirting!?

“lolinternetpetitions.

I can assure you quite reliably that it would not “damage the company’s profile” in the slightest.”

Really. Ever hear the word “Activision” associated with the term “the new EA”? And yes, as Hunam observed the Left 4 Dead petition had its positive consequences.

It’s always difficult to quantify these things but any coherent, sustained protest with a serious following will get noticed. Investors chatter, retailers worry, pressure is applied in sundry minor or not-so-minor ways.

Refusing to buy the game or its DLC is, as you yourself put it, a futile if admirable gesture; attempts to popularise that discontent, even where not backed by the threat of boycotts, have at least a chance of shaping corporate strategy.

“Michael, do you have a problem with buying used? I only have WaW, but I bought it used and have none of the DLC. Would that be a better alternative for you? Do you dislike buying used games?”

Yes I do. Used sales utterly decimate companies’ profits. Why do you think E.A. is so focused on their “Project 10 Dollar” idea? It has to be even worse for small developers.

“Also, on the MW2 DLC subject, if Acti isn’t paying them royalties for making the game, what makes anyone think that they’ll get paid when you buy the DLC? Just sounds like excuses to me.”

Exactly. It is this that GIGA seems to incessantly ignore.

Not gonna waste my time replying to everything in GIGA’s post. It’s a Monday, and unlike the last few days I have some actual work to get done.

“Refusing to buy the game or its DLC is, as you yourself put it, a futile if admirable gesture; attempts to popularise that discontent, even where not backed by the threat of boycotts, have at least a chance of shaping corporate strategy.”

That’s the thing, I’m not trying to popularise anything. And my issue isn’t with Modern Warfare, but with the entirety of Activision and what the company does.

I didn’t support E.A. when they treated their staff and consumers like crap, and I won’t Activision.

“…IW will eventually end up getting paid for the DLC…”

You don’t know this. Neither do I. THAT’S THE WHOLE DAMN POINT.

Fair enough, just as long as you don’t dismiss efforts to mobilise opinion against Activision out of hand