14 DAY TRIAL // The legal battle between video game publisher Activision and former Call of Duty developers Vince Zampella and Jason West has come to an end as both sides have agreed to a settlement just hours before the trial was set to start before a judge in California.
Michael McWhertor, who is the lawyer representing Jason West and Vince Zampella, stated that, “We have reached a settlement in this matter as to all parties and all claims. Dismissals will be filed soon.”
The actual terms of the deal between the two sides have not been disclosed and it is unlikely that they would ever be made public.
A statement from Activision has stated that the amount of money it has paid to West and Zampella in order to settle the matter will not affect its financial statements for the quarter.
Previously, the company has already given 42 million dollars (33.9 million Euro) to the two developers as part of pre-trial negotiations and information disclosure.
In March 2010, the two leaders of Infinity Ward were fired from the company, with the official cause cited as insubordination. But the pair has said that the publisher was not ready to pay the bonuses they were due because of the successful launch of Modern Warfare 2.
They were also accused of talking to rival Electronic Arts and of planning to take the Modern Warfare name and use it to establish a rival series for Call of Duty.
Since then Infinity Ward has been rebuilt and Modern Warfare 3 was launched in late 2011 and quickly became the biggest entertainment launched of the year.
Activision is currently working with developer Treyarch to deliver a new Black Ops II title, which will be ready to launch on November 13.
Meanwhile Zampella and West are working with Electronic Arts at Respawn Entertainment on a new shooter franchise.