Activision Targets Electronic Arts in Infinity Ward Modern Warfare Lawsuit

Publisher Activision Blizzard is aiming to extend its lawsuit against Jason West and Vince Zampella, the ex-leaders of developer Infinity Ward, in order to include rival publisher Electronic Arts, which is now working with the pair's new company, Respawn Entertainment.

The new complaint names both the Chief Executive Officer of John Riccitiello and the Chief Operation Officer John Schappert but also implicates a former member of the Board of Directors at Activision.

Activision Blizzard is saying that Electronic Arts has worked directly in order to create an independent company made up for key personnel from Infinity Ward, with the clear aim of depriving the successful franchise of its creative talent, affecting the revenue and the public image of Activision.

The company says that negotiations between Zampella and West, on one side, and Electronic Arts on the other have begun as early as July 2009, which is a few months before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released and before key personnel began to depart Infinity Ward.

The legal documents are saying that EA has provided flights for Zampella and West to go to San Francisco in order to meet Riccitiello at home, saying that the pair “refused to adhere to even the minimal standards of behavior required of any employee or executive.”

Activision is seeking no less than 400 million dollars in damages from the two studio heads and from Electronic Arts and the lawsuit is expected to go ahead at some point in 2011.

Zampella and West are also suing Activision, saying that their former employer forced them to leave and withheld bonuses they were entitled to after the successful launch of Modern Warfare 2.

The two are now working at Respawn Entertainment and are expected to announce a new video game franchise, probably a first person shooter that could make its debut in 2012.