Rumor: Security Locks Down Infinity Ward, Ousts Studio Head *UPDATE*

[addeB]

Maybe they are trying to improve their sales even more by making big headlines?

 

[GeneralGrant]

Wonder if they'll do this to Blizzard at some point.

 

[SilentHunter7]

Update: Earlier today, Activision filed an SEC report that mentioned Activision looking into "breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward." The filing also states that "this matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation."

Additionally, a post on Facebook by Jason West, confirmed to be legitimate, mentions being newly unemployed. West has also updated his LinkedIn profile with a March 2010 end-date for his position at IW.

http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=62577

Sounds to me like West and company didn't like the direction Activision wanted to take Call of Duty. If they did get canned for bitching about Kotick's meddling, then I vow to buy the next game of whatever company that picks them up. Even if it's a pile of crap.

 

[Jared]

That's something you don't see everyday! Activision being assholes? Bah...

xD

lol...they do seem to be taking there bat and ball...must be really peeved on something

 

[SilentHunter7]

Meanwhile, Brutal Legend creator Tim Schafer (who, as you may recall, had his own showdown of sorts with Activision) chimed in via Twitter: "Getting mad at Activision for this kind of thing is like getting mad at an ape for throwing feces. It's just how the beast communicates."

I love Tim Schafer. In a completely heterosexual way, of course.

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

Tim Schafer chimed in via Twitter [http://twitter.com/TimOfLegend/status/9865403393]: "Getting mad at Activision for this kind of thing is like getting mad at an ape for throwing feces. It's just how the beast communicates."

While Tim Schafer communicates like a child prodigy: Brilliant ideas that are stunted by either lack of time or lack of resources, and sometimes just lack of something to hold it all together.

 

[SilentHunter7]

*snip*

Hey, just a heads up, a friend linked me to this article on bingegamer.net.

http://www.bingegamer.net/2010/infinity-ward-has-not-received-royalties-for-modern-warfare-2/

Supposedly Activision wasn't paying IW MW2 royalties, and IW was getting rubbed the wrong way, and was thinking about trying to get another publisher.

The plot thickens...

 

[HotFezz8]

started off with bouncers kicking their door down, now its just a company spat. what the fuck is this story about? call the police or defend yourself if some bouncer attacks you.

 

[Generic_Dave]

Go on Schafer, you legend! He's right though...wonder what these SEC filings are all about? Perhaps Activision wanted to include a guitar perhiperal mini-game in MW3 to get some life outta the DAMN THINGS! And IW just said NO!!!!!

 

[stabnex]

God bless Tim Schafer. But I still won't shed a tear over two pricks at IW losing their jobs. Codfore Moowahtu was and still is a flaming pile of ass.

 

[CyberKnight]

Activision's on the warpath. They just reneged on a non-commercial license (granted by Vivendi) for a King's Quest fan project, negating 8 years of work.

Slashdot link [http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/03/01/0546238/8-Year-Fan-Made-Game-Project-Shut-Down-By-Activision?from=twitter]

Small potatoes compared to this story, I know; but sure makes it seem like they're on something...

 

[Asehujiko]

It's hard to feel sorry for somebody who addresses his audience with "whiny fanboys" in an official press statement.

That KQ thing is a massive dick move though.

 

[chiefohara]

Are these the same guys that left the Medal of Honour franchise to set up Call of Duty? If so history could be repeating itself

 

[Sparrow]

Well. That wasn't the headline I expected to see on here today, that's for sure.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Activision not paying royalties....looks like a case of Hollywood Accounting [link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_accounting[/link]

 

[Discord]

Soooo..... does this mean delayed DLC for Modern Warfare 2? Because for a while I thought this was just a publicity stunt but now, this is just strange.

 

[Therumancer]

My immediate guess was that it involves a studio head with his hands in the cash jar.

Nothing definate, but that's what this kind of operation would normally entail if for whatever reason they didn't want to press charges, OR knew what he was doing but couldn't actually prove it.