Current and Ex-Infinity Ward Employees Sue Activision for $125 Million

The Infinity Ward drama thickens, once again. The LA Times reports that 38 current and ex-Infinity Ward staff members, have filed a suit against Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 publisher Activision claiming that the employees are owed between $78 and $125 million in royalties in addition to potential damages.

Of the 38 employees filing the lawsuit, 17 still work at Infinity Ward. The 38 employees also represent around 40% of the Modern Warfare 2 team.

"Activision engaged in this inappropriate course of conduct in an attempt to force employees of Infinity Ward to continue to work at a job that many of them did not want just so Activision could force them to complete the development, production and delivery of Modern Warfare 3," the suit says.

The plaintiffs in this new suit have argued that the suit should be consolidated with ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella's own lawsuit against Activision.

Among the allegations in this new lawsuit is the claim that Activision told Infinity Ward staffers that if West and Zampella had not been fired, the bonuses would have been around 2.5 larger than the ones paid out at the end of March. This was perhaps intended to place fault at the feet of West and Zampella, but I would speculate that it had the opposite effect.

"Activision believes the action is without merit," responded an Activision representative. "Activision retains the discretion to determine the amount and the schedule of bonus payments for MW2 and has acted consistent with its rights and the law at all times. We look forward to getting judicial confirmation that our position is right."