To say that Activision/Infinity Ward battle has rocked the industry would be to put it very lightly. Activision cutting the head off one of its biggest cash cows and inspiring a number of resignations has been a huge and bitter story. One developer famous for its good treatment of staff, Insomniac, has criticized Activision’s behavior, going so far as to the call the situation horrifying.
“I have some friends at Infinity Ward and I can’t tell you how happy I was to be at Insomniac when I heard that news [of West and Zampella’s sacking],” says designer Jake Biegel. “I was totally horrified for my friends and called every one of them asking what the hell was going on. It reiterated to me how good it is to be working at a wholly independent developer where we call the shots.”
Zampella and West, the former Infinity Ward bosses who were terminated by Activision, have certainly followed Insomniac’s lead with Respawn Studios — an EA-owned studio that is allowing the developers complete creative control. It’s really the only way to develop — better to let the devs call the shots, than a bunch of suits who don’t understand or give a remote sh*t about the industry and would be just as happy selling toilet brushes if they made as much money.
