Activision Boss Talks About Infinity Ward Firings
The show must go on, says Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.
It's been a dramatic past couple of months for current and former Infinity Ward staff. Nearly three dozen staff have left the developer, which is still charged with working on the next batch of MW2 DLC for later this year.
Activision head boss Bobby Kotick told investors during a conference call his take and feelings on the entire Infinity Ward incident. The statement below was recorded and transcribed by Kotaku:
Since we terminated the two executives at Infinity Ward, approximately 35 others have resigned and it is likely that a few more people will leave, as well. Many of these people have been recruited by other studios because of how talented they are. We are obviously disappointed about this and we wish we could have convinced some of these incredibly talented people to stay.
The decision to terminate the two Infinity Ward executives was not done lightly. It was not done to deprive them of their bonuses, nor was it done without a great deal of deliberation about the consequences.
The background leading up to our decision to separate the two former Infinity Ward executives for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty is outlined in our cross complaint that we filed in April, which I'm sure many of you have read.
Against this background, we felt we had no choice but to terminate the two Infinity Ward executives. We did this to protect the company's assets and the interests of our shareholders. I personally considered the two of them friends and their conduct was a compromise of our friendship, which was equally disappointing. Once we began to understand what had occurred, there was no gray area. There was nothing that would have allowed us to retain their services, as talented as they might have been.
This is an example of our commitment to pursuing the difficult right, rather than the easier wrong. Our actions were firmly rooted in our longstanding values of integrity and an expectation that our employees, who signed and acknowledge our code of conduct, will behave with the highest ethical standards.
We have a great team in place at Infinity Ward, which continues to work on downloadable content and the studio's next unannounced project. We continue to support the culture of excellence that has defined Infinity Ward and we're already strengthening the studio with additional talent and financial resources.
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Just reiterates what's been said over and over.
Activision: We want another modern warfare title.
Respawn Devs: Seriously?
Activision: It's what's selling.
Respawn: It's getting boring cookie cutting you games that the consumer has voiced displeasure in, it's going to tarnish this studios reputation. Since we hold the rights, we're gonna say no for now, can we do something different though? We're sure it'd sell like raincoats in a tsunami.
Activision: So your saying you want to not milk a cash cow while its' still got plenty left?
Respawn: Well yea.... the cow's kicked us about our cold hands (MW2) So your saying we can't dev a new game unless it's Modern Warfare huh?
Activision: Prettymuch, so you gonna?
Respawn: Maybe later, when the cow's ready to be milked again.
Activision: Well we think it needs milked now, even if it isn't by your hands, see ya.
Too bad mate. No matter what he said, i still don't believe. 35 employees left the studio..35!! this is sufficient enough to show who is the wrong one.
Sorry Activision, but you already made yourself bad name in past few years and there is very little you can do with your current course.
If 35 most talented developers leaving is not enough big signal there something is wrong with you then i can just hope for players sake there will be another kick in head that will make you care and listen more about your employes, players and whole gaming society.
Sound like he is talking out of his *ss
He's talking out of his ass for sure.
Guess who's gonna be fired next! :]
*damage control*
Serves you right for being an idiot. You don't withhold payment and expect them to just say "oh we're sorry for demanding payment".
Activision = ActinglikeChildren
Respawn or whatever doesn't know how to make games, Activision people know how to sell crap, and they know this very well, that's why it was a success, not because of IW...
You really show your ignorance of IW's history & ability; of the pc gaming, modding, & mapping community that supported, nurtured, & helped further develop the series since it's inception & subsequent release.
This is the major reason why pc game market has dried up its not piracy, its the distributors trying to ripoff the developers, this has been going on for years.
Basically same thing happens in the music industry the record companies rip off the artists they make peanuts off of each cd sold.
Just reiterates what's been said over and over. Activision: We want another modern warfare title. Respawn Devs: Seriously? Activision: It's what's selling.Respawn: It's getting boring cookie cutting you games that the consumer has voiced displeasure in, it's going to tarnish this studios reputation. Since we hold the rights, we're gonna say no for now, can we do something different though? We're sure it'd sell like raincoats in a tsunami.Activision: So your saying you want to not milk a cash cow while its' still got plenty left?Respawn: Well yea.... the cow's kicked us about our cold hands (MW2) So your saying we can't dev a new game unless it's Modern Warfare huh?Activision: Prettymuch, so you gonna?Respawn: Maybe later, when the cow's ready to be milked again.Activision: Well we think it needs milked now, even if it isn't by your hands, see ya.
lol. well said
Smochina makes a very good point. MW1 and MW2 are pretty shallow shooters besides a decent story and polished visuals.
Honestly though. People keep saying the CEO is talking out of his ass, and casting their decisions, when no one but the company and the Infinity Ward people knew what was going on.
Considering how fast Respawn Entertainment went up, with backing and people, would it really be so surprising if they had been working on deals behind Activision's back for a while now?
Anyone who says they knew what was going on here, now THEY are probably talking out of their ass.
i agree, activisions been doing this stuff for a while now. Just look at how they milked the Guitar Hero cow. Its rediculous that a company would release the same game with a new songlist about 7 times in 1 year. Lets do a recount from 2008 when the Overhauling began, GH world tour, GH Metallica, GH Van Halen, GH 5, GH Smash Hits GH modern hits, Band Hero(aka GH pop), GH Decades, GH on tour and the mobile games.So I counted like 10 games in 2 years and that was all that it took to destroy Guitar Heros well earned reputation. People saw how it got old fast and we had activision to blame.People noticed that it was the same game with new songs. Now another MW would be nice but people would eventually notice that its the same game with new maps, and theyd get tired of the game, and well have activision to blame for destroying such an epic franchise. Activision doesnt know how to maintain anything, and this CEO is a deusche for thinking about $$$ and not about the people who are buying them.
Honestly though. People keep saying the CEO is talking out of his ass, and casting their decisions, when no one but the company and the Infinity Ward people knew what was going on. Considering how fast Respawn Entertainment went up, with backing and people, would it really be so surprising if they had been working on deals behind Activision's back for a while now? Anyone who says they knew what was going on here, now THEY are probably talking out of their ass.
The CEO is talking out his ass to save his own job. Investors are pissed that they have forked over cash for this franchise and now they are only seeing the fruits of one addition when there could have been sooo many. Little Bobby crapped all over the series and wiped his ass with what was left.
Yes Respawn did go up rather fast. I am not suprised though. When the lead talent of a studio that created one of the most successful games of all times is without a job one of two things are going to happen.
1. Someone is going to pick them up, and do it quickly.
2. The forge ahead and create another studio. And with the success that IW had it would not take long to get the backing it needs.
You are correct though. No one knows for sure what went on. All we can say is Infinity Ward basically changed it name to Respawn Entertainment and Bobby is now having to answer to investors for the cluster fuck that is now IW.
CoD3 was a Treyarch, not IW, product. As for the MW1/MW2 engine (one of the rare 60Hz engines on the consoles), mindless MP (one of the most popular online games the last 3 years), lousy single player (one of the best critically acclaimed games of all time) the critical reviews as well as sales success indicate your last comment is the overriding one: spurned PC gamer.
That's what all modern shooters are
Key words, "we wish we could have" - Activision had every chance in the world. It's obvious this if about two things, 1) the withholding of due royalties and 2) beating the cash cow to death. This could have easily been avoided had they listened to their employees and complied within reason. My money goes on the bet that the main two that left felt serious discomfort with what they were being made to do day in and day out, so they began job hunting. This is the same case where a developer/publisher gets too swell-headed, tries to penny pinch and slave-drive, and then experiences a nasty backlash - the end.....lesson learned this time Activision?!?!
I'm glad the staff moved on, and I look forward to there first respawn release.
however, regarding the pc version of mw2
1) I Still want my friken private servers!!!!
2) Get rid of the EXCESSIVE friken air support! Like %$^%$ Seriously!
3) don't make me buy the DLC ( which I did ) and then NOT allow me to play FFA online with it!!! Like are you frkin kidding me?!?
Activision: No were not kidding, you play what map we make you play, and what game type we make you play, when you play online!
4) further on the above, Like what the frkin hell! you make us host online matches, and still give us no frkin control of the game. arrrgh!
5) Patch your friken crap!! I'm SICK of alt tabbing and and killing the game process because your stupid crack game can't know when to disconnect and go back into the menu,
6) For the love of all that is fps, LISTEN!!! to the friken community!!! and as for you Bobby Kotick , you fat funny looking dork, take your stupid ass out of the gaming industry! and go work in a friken bank, go work in Goldman sacks, it would suit you much better.
ok, now I will take a breath.
Now he's trying to save "HIS" job with the spin he's putting on this.
The franchise is DEAD for the PC. There is nothing to milk anymore.
If you pay $15 for DLC, you are a loser. On top of already a loser of buying MW2.
Guess what, I bought Bad Company 2 for $20 (was on sale) and I'm also enjoying it. Very much actually.
Looks like a poorly scripted speech. It should have beem written better.
Oh give me a break, it's the same old crap game like CoD3, mindless multiplayer action, crap engine, lousy single player campaign, and now a big middle finger to all the PC gamers with no client/server. Enjoy!
Your response is a non-sequitur.
Oh & bobby kotik: if ever a face looked like it needed punching...
I don't feel sorry for Infinity Ward at all... Chickens comin' home to roost... they screwed the PC community for a fat check and were utterly remorseless, despite the raging outcry from the PC community. Now suddenly they're the victims of "Big Bad Activision"--a company with a wide and blatant history of gobbling up smaller developers and grinding their IPs into oblivion--and I'm supposed to give a rats arse? Eff 'em, says I... and if they didn't learn anything from this, and continue with their anti-PC gamer trends, Eff Respawn too...
Out the door with Bobby!
Respawn will be a console game developer, any PC related game will be an xbox port. MoH will be a Activision killer, and Battlefield 3 which will be PC exclusive will ensurew RE will only have the fickle console crowd to give it revenue.
Oh give me a break, it's the same old crap game like CoD3, mindless multiplayer action, crap engine, lousy single player campaign, and now a big middle finger to all the PC gamers with no client/server. Enjoy!
Yes, CoD3 was horrific. Then again it as Treyarch who made CoD3. They tried to cash in on IW success of the original CoDs. Most FPS games are mindless multiplayer action with yawn inducing, linear single player campains. Even Bad Company 2 was just as bad. The single player story was way to slow. The multiplayer was reminiscent of Crysis with sprawling open areas and very little fire fights.
Action talks more than words, you fired the top 2 execs and 1/3 of the company quits. This is a sign of bad leadership.
No one will follow a bad leader with a selfish agenda, but many will die for a great leader with a great purpose.