Activision has now officially responded to the reported shakeup at Infinity Ward.
The publisher has confirmed studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West have left the company, but issued no other comment related to their departure. There was no mention of "insubordination" or "breach of contract" in Activision's statement.
Activision Publishing CTO Steve Pearce and head of production Steve Ackrich are temporarily in charge of Infinity Ward.
According to the release, Infinity Ward will move forward on developing two downloadable map packs for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, both due for release sometime in 2010.
Confirming what we already suspected, a new Call of Duty is coming from Treyarch Games later this year. What we didn't already know, however, was Activision's intentions for Sledgehammer Games (headed by former Visceral Games developers Glen A. Schofield and Michael Condrey) to release a brand-new Call of Duty game "in the action-adventure genre" sometime in 2011.
No setting or gameplay details were revealed for either upcoming Call of Duty product, but the "action-adventure" description suggests it won't be a first-person-shooter.
Activision also vaguely discussed intentions for the future of the series, which include pulling the Call of Duty franchise under a singular business unit. Activision also intends to "expand" the Call of Duty brand similar to what Blizzard Entertainment has done with its franchises.
This lines up with Activision's public intentions to eventually release a subscription-based Call of Duty game. According to Activision, this change "will include a focus on high-margin digital online content and further the brand as the leading action entertainment franchise in new geographies, new genres and with new digital business models."
"2010 will be another important year for the Call of Duty franchise," said Activision Publishing president and CEO Mike Griffith in a brief statement. "In addition to continued catalog sales, new downloadable content from Infinity Ward and a new Call of Duty release, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the franchise to new geographies, genres and players."
More details as they become available.
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zeppy159
i thought only EA does things this stupid
smighenns
Wow activision should listen to the their community a lot more.
DukeTTT
Im not worried by this at all. There will be new games coming out all the time. Good ones and bad ones..I dont mind if they are called "World of Duty" or whatever. CoD MW series was exellent so ex-IW dudes will get a new gig and they will deliver. For sure. Activision's only purpose is to make money and if they think these plans will bring in the cash, then good for them. More money for them = more money for developement = more better games. ( i hope anyhow ). Its all just business so i dont care i just want to play.
TinFinger
i think for the pc cod is now dead since they pissed allover us last time
(broke all records for pissing ppl off)
Benayo
A Call of Duty game not a FPS? Are they trying to make a Gears of War type of COD or a Uncharted Splinter Cell COD?
A new COD this year?, i bought 4 and it was great then went with 5 or World at War and now with MW2.
I will not buy another COD game this year this is just too much.
Subscription fee to play COD???
I don't feel like the Call of Duty franchise is going on the right direction and if it continues like this all the hype will die just like what happened with Guitar Hero
sixDEANiine
I think it's interesting to note that in just a few years, the public attention has switched from EA being the "bad guy" to Activision. In probably 7-10 years, I bet it will be another big company with Activision-Blizzard trying to be the cool creative guys again. Ah, circles of the business world.
NonstopSURFBUM
Or how about not put out a new COD and just put out some killer DLC?IW should have put dlc out in feb that would have given people time to beat cam-pane,play co-op and level up pretty far in online .Then BAM new maps or even rearranged old maps,new weapons and attachments,the list could go on.If they did this every few months COD would last.and not end up being a guitar hero.Oh and fix bugs a little bit faster and maybe host some double point weekends.The fun dose not have to end for MW2!
Kinjerosa
Time to watch Activision beat this horse to death. cough*tonyhawk*cough
TheZoologist
Ewwww they're talking about it like its a business theory in an Economics class and not a game!
mrnyo
like pretty much everything, the next call of duty will be the next E.T. with millions of copies buried somewhere in nevada
tturner1
Oh Activision why do you have to screw everything up ><</safety_wrapper> ;
JLove89
And here I was just thinking there was no way activision would do something stupid enough to destroy their best IP. How do you make a decision like this after the MW2 sales. This could actually destroy one of the best performing IPs of all time. I have to agree with BONERJAM, start playing Taps, it's over.
triggerhippy
"ACTIVISION ANNOUNCES THE DEATH OF MODERN WARFARE AND THE REST OF CALL OF DUTY SERIES AND CONFIRMS THAT BOBBY KOTICK IS INDEED A WEINER!!"
mordi
Seems logical. Aside from WoW CoD is about the only thing Activision has going in term of money income.
xXGodkillerXx
i think it is stupid how they are giving it back to treyarch honestly out of the call of duty franchise world at war was the worst title they ever made the only thing that made ppl by the game and play it was nazi zombies.... i hope that it isnt as much as a let down as world at war was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
millerman5
Exactly right Activision when sharks stop swimming the drown, R.I.P. I am currently signing off PSN forever.
DKass
Looks like Activision decided to stop making so many GHs to dilute and water down the market for CoD instead this year! I wonder how many different CoDs will be put out within the next 2 years?
redsoxfan67
Guitar Hero of Duty is what we should expect
Warrior567
yes the series is in turmoil it needs a massive overhaul
christof_
Funny how Activision doesn't give a crap about gamers. Money money money!
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