John-ShepardThere has been much debate over whether or not Infinity Ward will continue after the employee exodus following the Activision fiasco.
Even analysts were split on the issue but now, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has updated everyone on the current state of affairs: Infinity Ward isn't going anywhere. During a post-earnings conference call , when the publisher reported a 33% leap to $1.3 billion in the first quarter, Kotick referenced the loss of key employees at IW but also said it "remains an important studio." As of now, 35 employees have left the team since Activision fired leaders Vince Zampella and Jason West (who have gone on to found Respawn Studios), and Kotick said Activision is "obviously disappointed" and that they wish they "could convince some of these talented people to stay." But because they can't, Kotick and Co. remain committed to IW, and the publisher will continue to provide the necessary "resources, people, and talent" to keep the studio going. As of right now, IW is indeed working on their "next big project," which everyone assumes is the third Modern Warfare installment. Some said that if IW closed, Activision would find another studio to work on MW3 and after the purchase of Bungie…well, people got to talking.
But it appears all of that is unnecessary, as analyst Michael Pachter appears to be in the right on this one: he said Activision would do exactly what they're doing, which is to keep IW staffed for MW3.
Hmmm, with so many gone & more going all the time, this certainly gives new meaning to the words "Skeleton Crew".
Want to bet that that kotex will keep IW upen & making MW 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.100,5000 until the rest of IW is so fed up with the MW series that everybody else winds up leaving, and that means even anti-vision's own planted biscuits too!!!
I think by the time we get to MWXIII they'll be fed up with the same old fps that everyone loves and they'll bring the series into the next gen of gaming by making MW an RPG with towns and shops and an explorable world map.
Stranger things have happened.
@Alienange: I see what you did there.
Looks like the old Smoke&Mirrors bit. IW is finished. Just let it die and move on. BTW has anyone tallied the totals for the map pack yet? Its looks like the pack didnt do well on the PS3.
But Activision don't want IW to die cos then they won't get their precious MW3 with infinity Ward on the box.
If there's no MW3, then there's no $1.2 billion for Activision to go nuts with. IW will never die, but it will never be the same again.
I will always have fond memories of the first modern warfare. COD4 was its name. And it did something beautiful to the FPS genre.
I dumped the old model for the new MW2, and I can tell you buddy, the grass ain't greener on the other side.
it kind of seems like if activision closes infinity ward they will look like the bad guys. they dont close the studio and they look like they were in the right.
just sayin it seems that way.
I doubt Antivision could make themselves look any better. They and the Empire are pretty much the same now.
The brand has been tainted… I think the studio will be a shadow of itself!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
I'd wager that the 35 people who have left IW are top talent. I'd be VERY nervous if I was still sitting in the IW offices every weekday. They must be thinking "when will the call me?"
Sorry although it's not a constructive argument…and an Ad Hominem…I can strongly say that Activision can GO **** THEMSELVES!
I'm assuming those 4 asteriks mean kill.
Looks like the janitor at Infinity Ward is getting a promotion.
dont really care i lost respect for IW, lets hope the new staff can bring Iw back to what they once were!
???? the infinity ward staff was pretty good, i mean before they left. i may not like MW all that much but i still think theyre gread developers.
When stuff like this goes on behind the scenes, and it's made public, one should stop supporting it. Shady business is unethical and all Activision wants is another billion dollar paycheck, by any means.
This type of crap reminds me of the rap game. When talented acts signed a shitty contract and were forced to replicate their hit single. Some acts chose to say "screw you" and never made music again, not because they didn't want to but because under contract they couldn't…not unless they produced what the label wanted of course. Now the same crap is happening with video games?
Infinity Ward will fall just like other amazing sub-labels fell from under a major record labels wing. Money, money, money.
if bungie work on COD ill eat my hat!
just one thing i really can not see happening, plus their next game is a all new IP so……….
but that i would of said the same thing about bungie signing a deal with moneyvision so i guess anythings possible!
i really dont get that though.
bungie left M$ because they were pushing bungie into working on games they did not want to work on.
they left because M$ was not giving them "freedom" well moneyvision are not exactly known for there heres 100 million bucks go do whatever you want attitude!
leaving M$ and joining moneyvision for "freedom" is like leaving Ferrari and joining ford for job security.
technically there doing the complete opposite, id conciser M$ a sh*t load more lenient and "freedom giving" than moneyvision!
who wants to bet bungies new IP will have 3 sequels and a spin off by this time 2014?
bungie, another developer to sell their soul to the devil 🙁
Activision will try it's best to keep the Infinity Ward name on the MW brand, but just for names sake and PR. If IW was to close it's doors a whole lot of sheep will look up and bleat at Activision.
I imagine that shutting down IW would be a huge financial loss for activision. The developer exists on their balance sheet as an asset with value, and not just the value of the building and the computers and other physical goods. The future earnings potential of the company is the largest part of that value, and as the makers of a billion dollar game, that earnings potential is gigantic. If they actually closed the studio, they'd have to write that off.
Infinity Ward is probably already working on another Call of Duty. You know, because 15 entries in a franchise isn't enough.
I don't love COD Alienage. Do you think there is something wrong with the statement? "The same OLD COD that everyone loves."
Last edited by BeezleDrop on 5/7/2010 11:29:35 AM
Did I miss something?