Infinity Ward Bonuses to be "Redistributed"

[Starke]

You know, I wonder if Zampella and Other Guy get these accusations disproven, they can sue Activision for Slander over all this.

The "Other Guy" is West. But, seriously, that's fucking brilliant, sue them from slander, get an injunction that prevents Activision from producing anything which refers to them, then lock Activision out of the CoD stuff they did as a chunk of the injunction.... It's shaky, but hilarious.

 

[Count_ZeroOR]

Wait...has the lawsuit been settled? This move could really fuck over Activision if West and Z win and are owed the money, won't that cost them a LOT of more money? I hope Activision gets a huge wake up call to being assholes

Quoted For Truth. I have a sneaking hunch that whoever approved this didn't run it past legal first. This is almost like stealing someone's car, pleading not guilty (and getting out on bail), and when the day of the trial comes, driving to the courthouse in the stolen car.

If this doesn't eventually come to bite Activision in the ass, then there's no justice.

 

[fozzy360]

"Willfully misinterpreted?" Is that the new company line to defend Kotick's comments? It's not hard to paint Kotick as a figure of evil when all he has to do is open his mouth.

 

[The Rockerfly]

The whole wanting to "take the fun out of making video games" doesn't seem like something good.

Along with Bobby being the money grubbing bastard that he is and Activision releasing very similar games every single year

 

[chaostheory]

Well this is good business sense on Activision's part, their just trying to salvage as much of Infinity Ward as possible. As for this whole situation, as much as I hate Activision (I refuse to purchase anything produced by them), we do not have enough information to say that they are in the wrong. The situation could easily have been that Activision caught wind of Infinity Ward breaching their contract and withheld the bonuses pending an investigation into who the situation. If it is the case that certain members of Infinity Ward did in fact breach the contract first then they have no longer have any claim to bonuses that were promised by the contract. Essentially until we have more info either side could be in the wrong, and this move by Activision actually does suggest that the blame could fall squarely on IW's shoulders (If Activision was withholding the bonuses with no intentions to pay they would have already factored in the loss of IW as a developer and thusly never paid unless forced to).

 

[ChaoticLegion]

Either way you look at it, Activision are still tools and they've ruined a successful series. I'll reserve any judgement on this pathetic fiasco for after the court verdicts.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Well this is good business sense on Activision's part, their just trying to salvage as much of Infinity Ward as possible.

Although my understanding is that it may actually not be legal. Bonuses owed to an employee up to the termination date should, as far as I know, still be paid under California law.

 

[sephiroth1991]

SECRETS? like what? Their is no secret to their games, unless its subliminal messages in the games adverts and news.

Besides it's all a bribe.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

The whole wanting to "take the fun out of making video games" doesn't seem like something good.

Along with Bobby being the money grubbing bastard that he is and Activision releasing very similar games every single year

Yeah, I don't know if it was Activision or Ubisoft that said they wanted a new game every 12-18 months from a series. I think it was Activision because Ubi series like Ghost Recon are finally coming out with a new game, and theres no new Rainbow on the horizon (no pun intended), and Activision brought in a new company to make sure CoD doesn't skip a beat...which sucks.

 

[bjj hero]

"I don't want to see talented people screwed out of a paycheck any more than you do."

But that's exactly what you are doing. You are denying people the money you owe them.

And what Kotick says is "Willfully misinterpreted"? Not really, it's just Kotick who is incompetent honest when it comes to talking about his business plans.

Fixed that for you.

How can you possibly misinterpret him saying "I think we've definitely been able to instill in the culture the skepticism and pessimism and fear that you should have in an economy like we're in today"?

Hardly likely to be heard in the acceptance speach of someone accepting the Nobel peace prize. It makes me wonder why there are not more workplace shootings in America with bosses like uncle Bobby.

I think its good that the money is going to the staff, although I think its more to do with damage limitation than humanitarian sentiment.

 

[The Rockerfly]

The whole wanting to "take the fun out of making video games" doesn't seem like something good.

Along with Bobby being the money grubbing bastard that he is and Activision releasing very similar games every single year

Yeah, I don't know if it was Activision or Ubisoft that said they wanted a new game every 12-18 months from a series. I think it was Activision because Ubi series like Ghost Recon are finally coming out with a new game, and theres no new Rainbow on the horizon (no pun intended), and Activision brought in a new company to make sure CoD doesn't skip a beat...which sucks.

I guess since there has been no Vegas since about 2008 or GRAW it must be. Plus Activision begin the money grubbing scumbags that they are it probably is them

 

[DamienHell]

They just admitted that they were in fact withholding bonuses, this money should have been distributed long ago, not now.

 

[UnusualStranger]

A company catching flak because its leader sounds like a complete dick?
sarcasm
NO WAY! Really?
/sarcasm.

The thing about leaders is, they are more often than not also your damned figurehead. Meaning that if your lead CEO is caught talking about how he thinks that all whites will always be racist bigots, don't think your company will continue to have an unhindered business.

However, now I am even more curious as to how all this will fall out. Will CoD now turn into something less than what it was? And if these bonuses were meant for the former pres and studio head, why were they not given to them just to clear up the suit?

Something really fishy is going on here.

 

[Cody211282]

I don't get how something someone posts on facebook is really news.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Perhaps you should read it, then.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

That was an interesting read.

As honest as this guy seems to be, I can't help but feel somewhat like cringing for him every time he defends 'Bobby'... it stinks of a guy who is ill at ease with the fact that he lost the receipt for his soul and can't get a refund.

 

[T-Bone24]

Oh hey, it's Dan Amrich! I remember him from TalkRadar, he's gone all bigshot, now.

Well, it's nice to see that the people who made the game will be getting bonuses for it.

 

[Starke]

Oh hey, it's Dan Amrich! I remember him from TalkRadar, he's gone all bigshot, now.

Well, it's nice to see that the people who made the game will be getting bonuses for it.

No, only the people who made the game and didn't defect when things started looking like the ninth circle.

 

[asinann]

Anyone else feel like this is just an excuse to bribe remaining employees to you know, not quit?

And what's to stop them from getting the bonuses and then jetting? To top it off, now that they've publicly admitted to owing those bonuses to the old CEO's, they've screwed their defense in court about not having paid them. If those bonuses were in the contracts, and they aren't paid to the people that worked on it (in the US, you don't have to stay with the company after the project is done to get the bonus you earned for the project, especially if you are terminated) Activision is still going to have to fork the bonuses over to the people that were with the company at the time.

 

[asinann]

Come on people, you just can't expect that West and Zampella magically appeared with a studio at EA over night, they were meeting with EA while under contract with Activision.

I've said from the beginning West and Zampella are liars, they are the ones who did wrong and tried to cover it up by saying Activision only fired them to get out of paying them bonuses.

Their contract with Activision was almost up, and you ARE contrary to what Activision wants you to believe, allowed to search for other employment for when your current one is over while still employed. Just because they went looking for another job with a different company for after their contract expired doesn't mean jack, and they are allowed to meet with ANY company for that employment. Activision just didn't want them leaving and was willing to bully their own contractors to keep them.