14 DAY TRIAL // Video game publisher Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts have officially announced that they have reached a settlement in the lawsuit that was launched over allegations of unfair business conduct linked to the negotiations allegedly carried out with Vince Zampella and JasonWest, the former leader of developer Infinity Ward.
A join statement form the two companies reads: “Activision and EA have agreed to put this matter behind them.”
Neither of the two has offered any additional details on the settlement, including whether any money changed hands or whether the two publishers simply decided that the legal battle would be too long and inconclusive.
In December 2010, Activision launched a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, claiming that it had tried to get the Infinity Ward due and other developers to leave their contract and create a new studio, under the control of EA.
Vince Zampella and Jason West were previously fired from Infinity Ward, with Activision accusing them of breaching their contract.
The pair is also suing Activision, claiming that they were denied bonuses linked to the successful launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Activision recently paid the developers 42 million dollars (33 million Euro) ahead of the May 29 date that has been set for the trial.
But the publisher has said that this payment is not an admission of guilt and then tried to get a delay, arguing that one of its lawyers was not yet geared up for it.
The newly formed Respawn Entertainment is working with Electronic Arts at the moment on a new game universe, which will probably use a first-person shooter template.
At the same time Treyarch and Activision are preparing for the autumn launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, after last year’s success of Modern Warfare 3, which was created by a re-staffed Infinity Ward.