Infinity Ward Bosses Missing, Staff "Freaked" And "Confused"
This is almost too Bond-esque to be believable, but considering G4 is the source and we're nowhere near April 1, we'll assume it's legit...as strange and ominous as it sounds.
According to G4TV, something a little unsettling is happening at Infinity Ward HQ. Apparently, a source close to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 developer said a "bunch of bouncer-types" just showed up at the studio and wouldn't tell anyone why they were there. The source adds that everyone in the office is "on edge" and nobody has any idea what's happening; the tension has risen because IW head bosses Vince Zampella and Jason West have not returned from a meeting with Activision earlier in the day. Lately, they say the relationship between developer and publisher has been "tense," and because of all the combined elements to this story, IW team members are being described as "freaked out and confused." Neither Activision or Infinity Ward has issued anything official on the matter, and we're not even going to guess. This whole thing sounds just too dark and bizarre; we really hope it's just getting a little blown out of proportion and nothing serious has happened. We're also not willing to guess at the "boucer types;" in all honesty, we didn't know any game companies had such types on staff.
What is with the news this week? Are the stars or planets aligned in a certain pattern? Since when are we writing news stories like this?
3/2/2010 12:15:03 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (118 posts)
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:36:47 AM
Oxvial
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:49:34 AM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 7:47:19 AM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:31:03 AM
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:37:20 AM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:48:06 AM
Naztycuts
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:31:35 AM
Reply
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:46:43 AM
leatherface
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:27:22 AM
Jed
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:25:46 PM
OtisFeelgood
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:38:46 AM
Reply
Gabriel013
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:39:53 AM
Reply
___________
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:04:52 AM
as if activision are shutting down IW after the millions of dollars they have made moneyvision.
has everyone forgotten mw2 is the worlds best selling game to date?
i dont know about you, but if a company was making a product for me and it sold 12+ million units id do everything to make sure they stay alive, not kill them off.
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:33:52 AM
No, I seriously doubt that IW is being shut down.
I believe that the 2 IW bosses got tired of Kotex's crap & since he couldn't make them his puppets to keep MW3 alive, he fired them.
My guess is that IW will now start going down the tubes though because Anti-vision's puppet-master will now put his own yes men in those positions & yank their strings high up around their crotches every time he wants things done his way.
___________
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 6:45:32 AM
i remember reading that IWs CEO i think it was did not want to do any more COD games, this was before MW2 was announced, he said they wanted to go onto other projects.
than it was announced, and they were asked jokingly when MW3 will be out and he replied im bored of COD i want to do something different.
looks like we have another bungie on our hands, better leave than run your own series into the ground.
Gabriel013
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 7:56:42 AM
___________
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 1:07:31 AM
Dancemachine55
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:04:03 AM
Reply
laxpro2001
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:10:47 AM
Reply
laxpro2001
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:31:29 AM
just2skillf00l
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:38:42 AM
Reply
If you're ever feeling unlucky, just think of the worst possible fate (almost unreal) you could possibly imagine, and I guarentee you, your situation and circumstances you're being confronted with will decrease in severity by your imagination - your actual situation. Yeah, I just created an equation, so use it!
Qwarktast1c
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 3:05:05 AM
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:04:21 AM
And depending on whether the rest of the team at IW either cowers under Anti-vision, or all quits or resigns in protest to the firing, maybe they could be picked up by Sony & renamed as a new developer team.
Of course the big question is do the rest of IW's staff have signed contracts with IW or with Anti-vision's puppetmaster?
And if so, is there a clause or hidden loophole that one or all can get out of.
WolfCrimson
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:46:20 AM
Godslim
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:51:20 AM
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:56:29 AM
DarthSayver21
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:29:54 AM
BTNwarrior
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:48:18 AM
Reply
CHAOS THEORY X
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:50:25 AM
Reply
cLoudou
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:07:21 AM
sunspider13
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:11:04 AM
Reply
Qwarktast1c
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 3:03:12 AM
Reply
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:11:28 AM
___________
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:01:14 AM
___________
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:00:14 AM
Reply
not saying that will happen to IW because they are making moneyvision so much cashola.
ive been saying for years they need to get away from moneyvision.
its so sad when great talanted developers get bogged down by publishers like IW, bungie, ID, visceral.
publishers have to much power over developers these days its not fair, developers bust their a$$ making a game and get paid pittens.
where the publishers do nothing but talk sh*t and advertise the games and get paid millions.
my tafe teacher for example, he releases games onto XBLA hes spent the last 2 years creating his latest game and just finished last month.
he only gets paid 50K a year, i was getting paid more than that when i was a refrigeration mechanic trainee.
Natalisrubbish
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:02:48 AM
www
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:20:07 AM
Reply
Wow Kotick....really! Wow!!!
"What is with the news this week? Are the stars or planets aligned in a certain pattern? Since when are we writing news stories like this?"
Tell me about it, I'm also having some serious issues going on this week and I'm even finding it hard getting a peace of mind to post a comment here.
Last edited by www on 3/2/2010 4:26:52 AM
Wage SLAVES
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:09:23 AM
www
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:21:32 AM
Hezzron
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:17:29 AM
This is in line with what Activision has done with the Guitar Hero developers, buy them then throw them out on their butts.
Is it possible that Activision has become worse than EA ever was?
animalmother
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:34:44 AM
Wage SLAVES
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:08:09 AM
Fane1024
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:40:21 AM
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 4:23:46 AM
Reply
IMO, I believe they are, because after reading everything here & also at the updated link too, it sounds just like what happens at a lot of my own workplaces whenever a President or big boss is fired.
And if so, then Kotex fired both IW bosses & barred them from returning to their IW offices(that's exactly why their own IW co-workers no longer saw them after their big meeting, & they mistakenly considered them as MIA's).
Also, whenever a major company with industrial/corporate/or product secrets fires a big shot, security escorts them right out the building at that very second the meeting is over with, no if's, and's or but's.
Another security team goes to their offices to bar them from going there or taking anything out.
And this is all because of perceived notions that the fired bosses may try to do some "corporate espionage" or may even try to sabotage the firing company and/or bosses.
FYI, any high-up that's fired, is barred right away to lessen the chance of revenge on the company and/or person that fired them(maybe just by taking sensitive lists, documents, plans, computer files, discs or other memory cards, blueprints, internal memos, trade secrets, etc, etc, etc).
The firing company then sends security to go through their office belongings & take inventory of it. Then they'll get the OK to box up all the remaining stuff that wasn't deemed as company owned goods, products, supplies, or any company-sensitive materials, sending back the rest to the fired boss.
BTW, if that fired employee tries to return to their office or just go to see their co-workers there, then they'll be automatically arrested & charged with "Defiant trespass", at the very least.
Only with the firing company's permission, & with a security detailed escort would that ever be allowed(and is extremely rare at that)
BTW, just because security does all that, I do want to make it perfectly clear, that all of the above in no way implies that the fired boss has, or is, about to do any wrongdoing what so ever.
It's basically just a precautionary step that all companies with sensitive corporate secrets do, just to assure themselves that it can't/won't happen.
If anyone's wondering do I would know all of this, it's simple......
I've been one of those Security bouncer types at different times for two major companies, that are known worldwide.
kraygen
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:10:51 AM
Reply
It's the government man! The government!
They realized that mw2 was being used to train terrorist spies and so they sent their goons in to take control of the company so they can monitor who is playing mw2.
This way the government knows who is winning and they can come to your house in the middle of the night and take you.
The I.W. boss was simply the terrorist cell leader and he's been pulled to a hidden facility to be interrogated and then brainwashed into working for us.
Its all a conspiracy dudes, stop playing mw2 and get a real game. lol
Imagi
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 6:28:20 AM
Qubex
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 7:51:02 AM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 7:54:15 AM
Snaaaake
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 7:54:20 AM
Bungie is now taking 3 years with Halo Reach while the infamous Guerilla took 4 years with Killzone 2 and while it was better than Mw2 it wasn't 3 times better than MW2.
Give Infinity 4 years and $30 million and they can make the FPS that even put every developer to shame.
Last edited by Snaaaake on 3/2/2010 7:54:54 AM
Snaaaake
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:00:52 AM
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:04:39 AM
You think MW1 version 2.0 is amazing? I'm shocked it took them more than a year to release MW2.
Evidently amazing to you means:
-Bugs galore
-Gimped MP mechanics
-Campaign that lasts almost as long as the drive to the store to buy the game
-Recycling a majority of the gameplay from the previous version
-Multiplayer that would have been outdated in the late 90s
-Graphics from 2005
Snaaaake, I'm all for people having their opinions and if you enjoy MW2 than more power to you. BUT to label IW as the best FPS developer in the industry is laughable. If all you have to justify the claim is the fact that it only took them a couple years to release MW2 than I suggest you retract your statement, otherwise you're going to come across very foolish.
Snaaaake
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:15:26 AM
Call me a fool or an idiot but imo, IW is simply that good. They already proved themselve with the first MW.
But you gotta at least had fun with MW2?
While it may not be as good as KZ2 it still pretty much one of the most kickass shooter out there.
Last edited by Snaaaake on 3/2/2010 8:16:30 AM
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:22:46 AM
I installed, played, and uninstalled MW2 all in the same day. I not only found the game average but wouldn't rank IW in the top10 of FPS developers.
No one is calling you a fool or an idiot but I hope you can at least see that you're reasoning is incredibly flawed.
Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 3/2/2010 8:23:51 AM
Godslim
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:56:41 AM
-Gimped MP mechanics---huh the customisation is great and the game modes and gameplay are really fun
-Campaign that lasts almost as long as the drive to the store to buy the game-----yeh its only about 6 hours but it has some epic set peices and great scenes
-Recycling a majority of the gameplay from the previous version-----dont most games do that?! even the great uncharted 2 does it!
-Multiplayer that would have been outdated in the late 90s---ROFL!
-Graphics from 2005---i think they are fine not uncharted 2 but its a multiplat game and for that i'd say the graphics are pretty good tbh
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:05:48 AM
-The customization is superficial and the game modes are typical
-Epic set pieces or not they are no excuse for a 5hr campaign (it took me a little over 5hrs)
-You're right most games do that, MW2 is like most games (not amazing)
-9 vs 9 multiplayer screams "Late 90s"
-He made the case that IW is the best FPS developer around, the graphics aren't terrible but they certainly don't suggest they're from an elite FPS developer.
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:36:49 AM
daus26
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:40:00 AM
It's like saying Turn 10 is a better developer than PD because they can make FM3 in 2 years compared to the time it takes GT5 to develop.
While I know nothing about fps, there has to be a better reasoning than developing speed for the title of best overall developer.
Deleted User
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 8:16:53 AM
Reply
Orvisman
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:11:42 AM
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:08:05 PM
In the case of Kotex's very own words in a prior article here, he vows to be a dictator, & wants all companies & employees under him to fear him & quiver beneath his feet.
So armed with that info, and also having the knowledge on how these type of things usually work, this time I'd have to think that the "insubordination", along with any other charges that Anti-vision has/or will allege, are most probably are trumped up phonies.
As for my own thinking, I'd have to side with the IW bosses. I can't see them going out on a limb & risking their jobs just to trump up charges against Anti-vision. That would be pure employment & financial suicide, they'd also be risking their very own future resumes, and their chances towards working for/or with, any hiring companies later on.
Barring any unseen contracts, I for one, hope that Sony can & would step up buy IW.
Hear me out first, sure, there were a lot of glitches & problems associated with MW2, but I believe that a lot of that could have also been due to Kotex constantly nit-picking & breathing waves of fire down the back of their necks.
If Sony bought them, IW would no longer be under the great strain of pressure that Anti-vision must had kept on them.
Sony would step back & let them make their new IP, IW's own way.
Also, if IW were to ask, Sony would give them one of their developer help teams, Sony's good like that, just as the same was done for Killzone2.
I'd love to see what other new AAA IP IW could bring into the exclusive stables of the PS3.
Darwin1967
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:27:21 AM
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SympoziumPawa
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:14:27 PM
maxpontiac
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:41:48 AM
Reply
Qubex
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 9:51:21 AM
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Is this a dark day in the video games industry? Seems Activision is behaving like Godzilla, destroying any one of its developer studios at will in one swift stroke...
Q!
"make.believe... or believe you shall not"
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:02:03 AM
www
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:51:17 AM
A_V_I_8_O_R
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:13:08 AM
Reply
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:13:38 PM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:47:42 PM
Darwin1967
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:40:53 AM
Reply
coverton341
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:15:16 AM
Reply
Karosso
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:39:40 PM
coverton341
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:51:32 PM
FullmetalX10
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 11:56:40 AM
Reply
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:49:19 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:04:41 PM
Reply
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 1:30:30 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:20:57 PM
rogers71
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 5:22:54 PM
JcBball717
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 2:12:10 PM
Reply
LightShow
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 3:10:51 PM
Reply
if IW doesnt fall in rank like treyarch, activision will pull a guitar hero, drop them, and hand the assets over to a different studio, most likely treyarch.
IW will then go to EA and make games for them, and all the COD fans will split between the name and the talent.
that or IW learned from the situation Harmonix was in and decided the paycheck was worth more than the ability to make their own games.
BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 6:39:33 PM
Reply
That's what I've been saying all along.
Kotex had planned this hostile takeover(of sorts)way back before November 2009, and our own PSXE has indirect proof of it.
FYI, if you remember reading them, we already had the articles right here a while back.
I could see the writing on the wall just by little bits & pieces in those articles....
That IW didn't want to do another COD, & wanted to go forward on a new IP.
And then that Anti-vision was hiring a brand new 3rd developer for the COD series......
Also, there was even this NY Times article with little subtle writing's on the wall....
As Activision seems to be discovering this year with Guitar Hero, there's danger when a title is overexposed with too many iterations. Nonetheless, the publisher has aggressive expansion plans for Call of Duty. Although Infinity Ward and Treyarch have produced sequels in alternating years since 2005, the publisher now has a third development studio working on future versions.
One person close to the company said it also was considering adapting Call of Duty as a massively multi-player online world. The genre, in which Activision's Blizzard Entertainment subsidiary is a leader, requires huge upfront investments but can be very profitable as players pay a monthly subscription fee.
And add these article taken from the PSXE archives......
11/18/2009 http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6156.html
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6406.html
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6584.html
BTW, the third developer taking over is "Sledgehammer Games) (headed by former Visceral developers Glen Schofield & Mike Condrey). They'll release a brand-new COD game "in the action-adventure genre" sometime in 2011, but it's not supposed to be single player this time & kotex is going to take the COD series into paid subscription based games.
More info here: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/tag/7820/Fall-of-Duty.html
So now, IMO opinion, kotex has shown his hand & this is the first part of the fallout of a power hungrey madman so far.
randomname
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 10:56:22 PM
Reply

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2









Xra897
Reply
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 @ 12:25:11 AM
Activision back off!