Firing them with cause actually exempts them from most of the benefits conferred plus it also makes them less attractive to future employers (People would often think twice about hiring someone who was fired for "insubordination")... Its akin to Activision performing character assassination on them. Make them seem like a bunch of trouble makers in the hopes that they won't work in the industry again.

In other news:
jas2davir & MYNAMEISJASON, stop with the (under)handed attacks against each other unless you two like looking at a warning log screen instead of the forum.

I wasn't even mentioning him, my post was directed to one of my friends and obviously jas isn't my friend.

Regardless, you did respond in a vicious manner.

Hmm, I still don't get why would Activision (or at least the board of directors) try to character assassinate both of them.

Seems more like a personal vendetta than a corporate decision.

Not implying that Activision is all evil and what not. Just curious about why.

Hmm, I still don't get why would Activision (or at least the board of directors) try to character assassinate both of them.

Seems more like a personal vendetta than a corporate decision.

Not implying that Activision is all evil and what not. Just curious about why.

Motivated by greed perhaps? MW2 sure made them pretty rich.

After the success of MW2 (Yes, it was), these two will have significantly increased their worth in the industry and considering how Activision knew that they wanted to leave, they had to ensure that they don't leave so easily or at the very least with their reputation severely tarnished.

Its a gambit really. Activision needs to discredit them so hard that no other publisher will pick them up (Or at the very least with really bad deals) and the 2 IW guys need to ensure that they are not the bad guys. Its a power game between the two... and it doesn't look very promising for Activision.

Following the ousting of studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella under rather bizarre circumstances last month, Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward has now lost two more key figures from its staff: Lead designer Todd Alderman and lead software engineer Francesco Gigliotti.

Word of the departures of Alderman and Gigliotti spread after the two updated their Linkin profiles to reflect their newfound unemployment. Although the reason for their departures hasn't been confirmed, Kotaku reports that a source "close to the studio" says they resigned. Alderman had been with Infinity Ward for over eight years (and was a key multiplayer designer on the Modern Warfare series), and Gigliotti was with Infinity ward for over seven years.

This of course comes after studio heads West and Zampella were fired over what Activision contended was "breaches of contract and insubordination" -- a move that was quickly followed by West and Zampella suing Activision over wrongful termination. It's still unclear what either West and Zameplla or Alderman and Gigliotti plan to do next, although reports also followed last month that West and Zampella joined the enormous Hollywood talent agency CAA.

thats why call of duty 7 is by treyarch.

*facepalm*

Didn't you know that IW and Trey developes the CoD franchise alternatively? >.>

yes but read somewhere that iw was supposed to develop the 7th series before they fired the lead artist. could be rumors tough.

Modern Warfare 3 : World at Battles

Right,it has always been like this.IW do one. Treyarch do another one.

Now,Sledgehammer Games is also developing another CoD game. We gonna get even more of it.

The drama  involving the creators of one of the biggest franchises in gaming continues as Jason West and Vince Zampella, the fired former lead creators of Modern Warfare 2, have formed a new company, Respawn Entertainment. EA, their formal rival, is backing.

The Monday morning news announcing the new company follows a Friday that saw Activision, the mega-publisher that fired Jason West and Vince Zampella from their leadership positions at Modern Warfare development studio Infinity Ward, suing the ousted creators. Activision has accused the duo of misdeeds and subterfuge designed as an alleged attempt to "steal the studio."West and Zampella had sued Activison a month prior following their dismissal from their perches atop Activision-owned Infinity Ward.

But today the two creators are announcing a new company and an exclusive publishing deal with Activision rival Electronic Arts. The new company, based in Encino, California, will make games for the EA Partners label, an arrangement that means it will remain an independent company from EA. West and Zampella's former studio, Infinity Ward, remains wholly owned by Activision.

"Respawn Entertainment marks a fresh start for Jason and me," Zampella said in a statement. "For the past decade we led a great development team and poured our hearts into creating an epic game franchise. We're very proud of what we built – and proud that so many millions of fans enjoyed those games. Today we hope to do it all over again — open a new studio, hire a great team, and create brand new games with a new partner, EA."

"We're excited," West said. "Now that the team is in control of the games and brands, we can ensure that the fans are treated as well as they deserve."

While West and Zampella's experience has recently involved military first-person shooters, including EA's Medal of Honor series, which they worked on prior to handling Call of Duty and Modern Warfare for Activision, they offered no details on the new game.

The release indicated only that "the company will focus on creating state-of-the-art gaming experiences for global audiences."

Kotaku will have more on this story as it breaks.