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Activision sues EA


AcidCrownie
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It's highly unlikely that Activision would file a suit against EA if they didn't have some sort of evidence. The bigger question is was that the source of the conflict between Activision and West/Zampella?

 

My guess is no. I'm sure that EA was talking to Infinity Ward developers; trying to butter them up and lure them away, but that doesn't change the very suspicious timing of West and Zampella's termination.

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  • 5 weeks later...

We should probably rename this thread to make it more about the West Zampella story.

 

 

So, Now EA releases an email indicating that Zampella helped them? Why would they do that? Are they trying to piss off people and keep them from ever helping them again? It's a pretty strange turn of events to be sure.

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Well, Jeff Brown is painting this email between EA exec as a joke:

 

"A couple months ago, I asked Vince to hold back their map pack until after we launched (he owes me one). Given that they've already made a billion, he was cool with that, obviously Kotick took it as being belligerent."

 

To be honest it's not uncommon to talk about rivals in this fashion. Also note that this email is dated the day of BC2's release. There's no emails from two months ago between EA and Zampella that indicate such a deal was done.

 

Activision are pissed because they think that EA incited West and Zampella to breach their contract, however note that EA's internal messaging states:

 

"Attached is a form of term sheet for a proposed dev/pub deal for your clients ('NewCo') to consider assuming they are free of any contractual commitments on their services and the IP they would develop under the deal."

 

(Quotes taken from http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6286660.html)

 

West and Zampella were likely looking for an out. That much is clear from the proceedings thus far. It's only natural that they would look to the next largest publisher to work with, and if any big name developer wants to talk to EA, then EA would be stupid to turn them down flat without hearing what they have to say.

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No one is going to come out of this totally innocent. Activision were being overbearing at least and tyrannical at worst. West and Zampella were obviously up to something, whether Activision's attitude was the cause or effect of that scheming is a lesser issue, either way they seemed to be looking to breach their contract. Even EA could be accused of deliberately keeping themselves in the dark over W&Z's contractual status to maintain plausible deniability, though I am sure that this is not the case.

 

No one in this whole mess is/was behaving entirely altruistically. It's just a case of weighing up all the sides and deciding what the most just outcome is. (Note: "Just" =/= "Fair").

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

Wish I knew. It's all very odd. Acti paying out to the IW Employees, changing counsel, then burying the hatchet with EA. I wonder if they have a shaky case and are attempting damage limitation or a graceful (as far as is possible at this point) exit.

 

While I have no knowledge of what went on. (Really I don't this stuff is a bit above my pay-grade) I suspect that Activision dropped the case against EA on the proviso that EA don't counter-sue. It may be that Acti hoped to scare EA off of the deal with Respawn with the suit in the first place since any advance paid to Respawn as part of the agreement between EA and Respawn would have in all probability been used to fight this case. If Acti could have cut off Respawn's income it would have put Acti in a far stronger position.

 

P.S. Apologies for the crap links, just want to make clear that all the information I'm divulging is public domain (and I don't actually know how to change the hyperlink into the text I want...). :)

Edited by TheMightyEthan
fixed links
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When you write a comment at the top of the box there's a chain with a green plus sign, if you highlight the text you want to make into a link and then click that you can paste your URL into the box that pops up and it will turn the text into a hyperlink.

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Oh come off it TN, we all know who you really are.

 

If I was, RockBand iOS wouldn't have been deactivated (and then un-deactivated), BF3 would be multiplayer only, and SimCity V would not need a persistent internet connection. :)

 

Oh and we'd have a Mirror's Edge sequel by now with a Battlefield 2143 in the works.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry, can't find the original thread but there's this.

 

http://www.joystiq.c...y-ward-lawsuit/

 

Can't believe we wont hear the results of this ever. :(

 

We likely will at some stage. Someone is going to let slip something or do some real digging. Even if we don't, it's fairly clear which side the settlement favoured. If it was a mere pittance, I can't imagine Activision being too bothered about confidentiality. Then again, I haven't a clue. Maybe W&Z just saw 8 digits and took it.

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Confidentiality is a pretty standard settlement thing, regardless of whom it favors.

 

I'll take your word for it. It's a shame we don't get to know the details of the settlement regardless.

 

That being said, at least now there's nothing standing in the way for Respawn to start marketing their new game more. I'm calling it now - E3 trailer with a not so kind reference to Activision. :D

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