The "Fall of Duty" lawsuit that pits Electronic Arts and ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella against game publisher Activision will continue, according to California Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle. Berle ruled that Activision provided enough evidence to allow its $400 million lawsuit against EA to go forward.
Activision's suit alleges that Zampella and West conspired with EA to help Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at the expense of Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Jeff Brown, a spokesperson for EA, said that the publisher had never spoken to West and Zampella before their newly formed Respawn Studios signed up with its EA.
Calling Activision's case "conclusionary allegation," EA moved to have the suit thrown out. Judge Berle disagreed, basically ruling that although he wasn't speaking on the merits of the case, he does think there is enough information to let the the $400 million lawsuit proceed.
Source: Game Politics
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VectorRoll
This has to be one of the dumbest lawsuits I have seen in a while. Activision just needs to start looking at trying to improve things in there own company and compete instead of trying to get free money and make bad press for other companies and themselves.
Respawn is going to wipe the floor with them when they get there new game up and running and they are just being scared about that. I think that they are just a little upset that Jason West and Vince Zampella were able to get there own Studio started and also backed by EA so fast after they were fired. Its like they just want to act like the bully and try harass these two ex-employees.
If Activision can not get over there own mistakes and move on then they are in the wrong business.
WUES
Of couse he see's enough evidence. How much of that 400 million does this "judge" stand to make off this?
Goldeneye7
Is there some way to JUST sue Infinity Ward? Flame all you want, but that steaming pile of trash MW2 was a giant middle-finger to gamers. Modern Warfare 1 (COD4) was fantastic, and IW knew it. They sat on their laurels and produced a crapfest for a sequel, knowing full well they could put a blank disc in a case with the words "modern warfare 2" on the cover and still sell it.
patzivota
Can everyone just chill and stop suing and fighting each other! They are both great and popular games. I own both and play them both. Also, $400 million is a little excessive and greedy, Activision, seriously. That puts you lower on the integrity rung. You do not need it AT ALL.
Greedyjew6964
MW2 is unbalanced compared to what? Blackops! ROFL. Black ops is the most unbalanced game out there. I mean Yah MW2 had cheaters and glithcers. But i personally have never played against any of these cheaters. I love IW to death, MW2 was a great game and is still fun to play. Treyarch got one thing right with Black Ops and that is Zombies. Anyway off subject there EA is a great company with Original games. If Activision where to lose there presious CoD serious they wouldnt have anything left but WoW. Plus Activision wants to have players in teh future possible pay to play CoD games? Yah lets see how far that goes. Anyway Battlefield 3 is coming out so good by CoD. Go Battlefield!
MasterOfWeed
So wait they allegedly helped make BC2 which I find hard to believe since the game was pretty much bugless If anything they probably helped with MOH which is more in there area of spawn killing and tiny ass maps if they even did help EA out with anything at all I highly doubt it would effect the sales of any COD game considering how many people buy the damn games this lawsuit is completely pointless and Activision should loose unless the judges have brain damage.
JeeshusChrist
I hate Activision as much as the next guy but seriously when you play MW2 you can say this is not IW because they really made this game extremely unbalanced and did not support the game with patches to balance it and block modders. And that is just not IW is all about. But with all the unbalanced weapons taken out in a GB scrim lobby is in my opinion so much fun. Anyways I love IW to death and I hate to say this but it does raise doubts about what Activision is saying about them scheming with EA. But still even with those doubts I still find it really hard to believe that IW would go through all that length to hurt Activision. And in the process try to hinder and hurt sales and support of a game franchise that they started, built, grew and loved for so many years. Those guys at now at Respawn know leaving the company and forming Respawn than making a new game that will kick CoDs ass is plenty good enough for them to get back at Activision for being very rude greedy bastards.
Cryptomaster420
im all activision in this battle even if there greedy think of it this way all the evidence points to IW breaking their contracts with activision and we all know EA has a reputation for the worst server imaginable not saying activisions perfect and i despise IW after broken promises and their ineffort to patch MW2 and allow cheaters and hackers to ruin the game @ least treyarchs working around the clock to release patches 200% faster than IW blackops hackers and cheaters aren't getting away and i know this because my friend did the golden gun glitch he got reset aka glitching and at least the took initiative against rapid fire controllers its more balanced than MW2
yet I hate the damn Dashboarders they can enjoy the 7th layer circle 3 of hell !
Isaac12345
Judge was bribed. Activision can burn in hell.
Aaron_Esq
The most unfortunate thing is the effect this has on the COD franchise. IW innovated the genre and made a LOT of money for Activision. To think that MW 2 will be the last fully IW developed Call of Duty game is a big loss to fans of the franchise...
Lezz
Activision = one over-rated game, and the only game consumers buy from them.
EA = new games and franchises that have great replay value and bring something new to the table
this lawsuit is dumb Dice works independently while EA publishes there games Infinity Ward couldnt of helped in no way because Bad Company's success relays on the Battlefield fans and people just looking for something new i mean $400 million? sounds like there just mad there games are going down the drain and trying to recover from there losses
Lezz
Activision = one over-rated game, and the only game consumers buy from them.
EA = new games and franchises that have great replay value and bring something new to the table
this lawsuit is dumb Dice works independently while EA publishes there games Infinity Ward couldnt of helped in no way because Bad Company's success relays on the Battlefield fans and people just looking for something new i mean $400 million? sounds like there just mad there games are going down the drain and trying to recover from there losses
Doomtastic
If Activision was really guilty of alot wouldn't there be some evidence against them besides what little was provided? Seriously we already know Activision will win this over EA. Instead EA tries to get it thrown out which shows that must've been one of their "last resort" cards against Acti. If they haven't brought anything out against Acti, yet like Acti has to EA then they already lost $400 Million.
Tsk tsk EA try to at least fight back instead of trying to squirm out.
wolfman2010
Man, people sure don't know when to quit... Modern Warfare 2 was fun, I'll give it that, but I didn't particularly like it. It went a little bit too silly for my taste. Not that big on FPS's (except HL2 stuff)
Activision, I really don't find anything wrong with most of your games (except WOW, but that's still Blizzard), but to this I only can shake my head and sigh in exasperation. You poor, silly people.
EA. You've been getting my attention for a lot longer. I like a lot of the games you put out. A lot of them are well done, even if your marketing department is probably run my masochists. Still. You are probably the only publisher I give a damn about most days, and I just hope you guys don't go and turn off the deep end.
Also, why did you cancel Mirror's Edge 2?????
JustTheBeginning
People sure forget EA is almost as bad as Activision when it comes to milking a franchise for money. Did we all forget about Madden, Medal of Honor, and their B.S. Pay to Play online pass stuff?
livedead
What is call of duty? All I see now is EA/DICE Battlefield 3.
DragonLord1123
I hope EA wins. I just think that Activision wants the money and to keep the Call of Duty name from being tainted. West and Zampella are good creatives and should have the rights to their game idea. I think that EA is too proud to have conspired againts Activision. I don't know what will happen but this whole case is probably just a stunt.
stamatt45
I smell a conspiracy in the timing of this case...
I think Activision just trying to hurt the launch of SW: The Old Republic to protect there precious cash cow known as the World of Warcraft
titanrage83 ShowHide(2 Replies)
Activison and Ea only care about themselvs. they both suck i hope this thing last forever. hey EA. that Crysis 2 demo is great. if only i could play it on your broke azz server
KilledFirst
Activision = one game that is over-rated, and the only game consumers buy from them.
EA = new vision with new games and franchises that are not forced down your throat.
All corporation exist to make money, and I find myself throwing most of my money at EA because they have diversity in their titles. The only reason I buy C.O.D. is because my friends play it. Quality isn't there, so the only reason I buy it is peer pressure. Even if Activision wins this case it won't help hide the fact that they are running low on products. If 2K is in talks to be taken over by Activision/Blizzard, then my list on "NO BUY" will just increase. It would be a shame too because 2K is it's own animal, and Activision would become it's predator and devour the quality of their products. Maybe not the first year, but by the end of a second year 2K will be producing crap, because of ridiculous deadlines and a lack of funding. It will only be about the profit-line. Welcome to Activision where our vision is to kill everything we touch.
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