Infinity Ward Respawns at Respawn - UPDATED

[Andy Chalk]

Infinity Ward Respawns at Respawn - UPDATED

It looks like they'll be rolling out the barrel at Respawn Entertainment [http://www.respawn.com/] pretty soon, as seven former Infinity Ward employees have now joined Jason West and Vince Zampella at the new EA-backed studio.

I suppose we can't say we didn't see this coming. When new venture [http://www.infinityward.com/] at Respawn. That was an incorrect assumption - the "few of them" part, that is. So far, it looks a lot closer to all of them.

As of yesterday, the following ex-Infinity Ward personnel had taken positions at Respawn: Lead designer Todd Alderman, lead animator Mark Grisby, lead environmental artist Chris Cherubini, lead animator John Paul Messerly, software engineer Rayme C. Vinson, programmer Jon Shiring and lead designer Mackey McCandlish. That's right: Less than two weeks after it was announced, Respawn Entertainment can now officially sign up for the EA softball league.

Facebook [http://www.activision.com]. "More people will probably go too, looking for new situations. Maybe they will join Respawn, maybe not."

Activision has made it clear that it intends to "Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100180-Infinity-Ward-Bonuses-to-be-Redistributed] bonuses owed to West, Zampella and others to Infinity Ward employees who remain with the studio, a strategy which some people have noted has a certain ring of bribery to it. It also appears somewhat legally dubious and even if the company is able to do it, will it really be enough to keep people in their chairs? I'm inclined to think that we haven't seen the last high-profile departure from Infinity Ward just yet.

UPDATE: Make it eight [http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/704186/TheFeed.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=twitterblog&utm_campaign=so-0907-twitterthefeed-704186&cmpid=so-0907-twitterthefeed-704186]: Former Infinity Ward lead software engineer Francesco Gigliotti has signed up for the Respawn team.

Source: G4tv.com [http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/704164/TheFeed.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=twitterblog&utm_campaign=so-0907-twitterthefeed-704164&cmpid=so-0907-twitterthefeed-704164]


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[Onyx Oblivion]

"RESPAWN, *****!" - some radio show from GTA: Liberty City Stories

Seriously, I can't believe that I ever hated EA. EA is such a great publisher...Hell, they published Valve's games' on consoles, fyi.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Activision has really screwed the pooch on this one. Next thing they'll fire the Blizzard heads, and they'll join Respawn too.

Also which developer has the best team in the Softball League?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Activision has made it clear that it intends to "Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100180-Infinity-Ward-Bonuses-to-be-Redistributed] bonuses owed to West, Zampella and others to Infinity Ward employees who remain with the studio, a strategy which some people have noted has a certain ring of bribery to it. It also appears somewhat legally dubious and even if the company is able to do it, will it really be enough to keep people in their chairs? I'm inclined to think that we haven't seen the last high-profile departure from Infinity Ward just yet.

Is that legal? If an employer owes payment to an employe, aren't they legally ablliged to pay it?

 

[The Cheezy One]

werent the IW duo dissilusioned with Activision BECAUSE they didnt get the right amount of bonuses or something? i know why A is pissed, but i still dont understand most of it
all i know is money is involved somewhere, and that IW was asking to basically OWN MW

 

[Brad Shepard]

Im waiting for when they give out the bonus money to everyone still at IW, and then we see them take a nose dive in there numbers.

 

[Trivun]

I'm reading through the Facebook link right now and it's actually very informative and interesting. I'd advise everyone here to at least take a look before flaming Activision and Bobby Kotick anymore.

Dan Amrich admits in the Facebook discussion (on a group entitled "Gamers Against Bobby Kotick and Activision", no less) that although he works for the company he doesn't always agree with everything they do. But he really does seem to be trying to get the viewpoint across to gamers that most of us simply don't want to hear. He's trying to explain his employers' actions in very reasonable discussion, and although he admits that there are some things that he can't talk about because of orders from on high, he genuinely seems to want people to understand both viewpoints. I've sided with West and Zampella through all of this, but nevertheless Dan makes a very good point in his discussion. Take a look at the link in the OP, and decide for yourselves. But don't just flame Activision without first seeing what Dan Amrich has to say.

 

[Starke]

Activision has really screwed the pooch on this one. Next thing they'll fire the Blizzard heads, and they'll join Respawn too.

That would be both tragic and hilarious... I'm leaning towards the hilarious, and they'd do it too...

Activision has made it clear that it intends to "Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100180-Infinity-Ward-Bonuses-to-be-Redistributed] bonuses owed to West, Zampella and others to Infinity Ward employees who remain with the studio, a strategy which some people have noted has a certain ring of bribery to it. It also appears somewhat legally dubious and even if the company is able to do it, will it really be enough to keep people in their chairs? I'm inclined to think that we haven't seen the last high-profile departure from Infinity Ward just yet.

Is that legal? If an employer owes payment to an employee, aren't they legally obliged to pay it?

Yeah, they are. Combine that with the fact that they've now publicly admitted that they were withholding pay, and suddenly it gets very hard for them to sit in court and argue that West and Zampella were trying to sabotage their company due to personal greed.

 

[Darth Caelum]

Karma's a ***** isn't it Activision?
Ripping apart one of your Best, and it turning Rogue, yeah. Karma's a Real *****.

Go Respawn Entertainment!

 

[qbanknight]

to the surprise of no one at all

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

EA, oh how I used to love that company.
Then something happened to make me dislike it, I think.
But now I love it again.
I am so glad this is happening... just shows that people will not sit by and stay silent when others are attacked. The loyalty of the IW employees to their old bosses is touching.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

Can't wait to see what this comapany does. Perhaps they'll make an XBLA/PSN Store multiplayer shooter like Breach and Blacklight: Tango Down.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Activision has really screwed the pooch on this one. Next thing they'll fire the Blizzard heads, and they'll join Respawn too.

That would be both tragic and hilarious... I'm leaning towards the hilarious, and they'd do it too...

Activision has made it clear that it intends to "Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100180-Infinity-Ward-Bonuses-to-be-Redistributed] bonuses owed to West, Zampella and others to Infinity Ward employees who remain with the studio, a strategy which some people have noted has a certain ring of bribery to it. It also appears somewhat legally dubious and even if the company is able to do it, will it really be enough to keep people in their chairs? I'm inclined to think that we haven't seen the last high-profile departure from Infinity Ward just yet.

Is that legal? If an employer owes payment to an employee, aren't they legally obliged to pay it?

Yeah, they are. Combine that with the fact that they've now publicly admitted that they were withholding pay, and suddenly it gets very hard for them to sit in court and argue that West and Zampella were trying to sabotage their company due to personal greed.

Congradulations Activision, you have alienated the company that has given you your best selling series and games, let them form their own studio with another company, and given them great reasons to sue. Their has to be some kind of award for this amount of Fail.

 

[SextusMaximus]

Gah! Love them for backstabbing Activision in this!

Good for them guys, hey!

 

[Vampire cat]

"RESPAWN, *****!" - some radio show from GTA: Liberty City Stories

Heheheh. Good times.

Idk. If they still pump out some good games I couldn't care less whats going on =3

 

[Nurb]

So they left one greedy, risk-hating corporation and went to another who will close them down as soon as they outlive their usefulness.

Ugh.. I was hoping they'd go independant.

 

[Dorkmaster Flek]

Bwahahahahahaha. Oh this is rich... I mean, don't get me wrong; I feel bad for them having to wade through all the legal BS that is upcoming, but man this is some great drama. I'm gonna go make some popcorn...

 

[Jared]

Well, its to be expected. And, I bet alot more, as it mentioned, will end up there at some point.

Afterall, people like to stick with what they know!