470°

Kotick: I’d be jailed for doing what West & Zampella did

New light has been shed on the severity of Activison’s allegations against its former employees Jason West and Vince Zampella.

The ongoing lawsuit between the ex Infinity Ward duo and its former employer is being held behind legal tape, but Activision CEO suggests the crime scene is particularly gruesome.

“The frustrating thing about that is, the stuff that these guys did, I would have never expected them to do,” he said.

“We’re a public company, we’ve got ethic obligations, and the things they did were... I would go to jail if I did them.”

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develop-online.net
NewsForMe4958d ago

Didn't both sides breach the contract?

Christopher4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

Neither has been proven, so no word on that.

His comments are purely speculation and have no substance considering he's selling his side of the aisle's case. West & Zampella could come out and say the exact same thing about how Activision handled everything, but they're too busy working on developing a new game rather than wasting time throwing Activision under a bus.

rroded4958d ago

cant wait for the courts ta settle this in favor of IW activision is the scumist company in the games buis right now.

Tapey4958d ago

Activision might be an unlikeable company but I have no idea why people hold Infinity Ward in such high regard considering how terrible Modern Warfare 2 was. Yes Kotick is a money-grabbing ass but West and Zampella basically gave their fanbase the middle finger with MW2, and have somehow got away with it. It's absolutely mind boggling that they could crank out Modern Warfare 1.5, with a disgustingly short singleplayer campaign, terrible co-op and a hilariously broken multiplayer component and people will champion them.

It's made even worse by how arrogant these developers are, both trash talking Treyarch regardless of all the great things they introduced to the COD franchise, to treating their playerbase like idiots and pulling important features from the game just because they couldn't be bothered putting any effort in. I will be shocked if their new game under EA is any good.

Rhythmattic4958d ago

Kotick is lower than scum, he is what I would call a "Scrotum Gargler"

StanLee4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

All you little twats calling Bobby Kotick scum; what do you know about running a multi-billion dollar for profit company successfully and doing what's in the best interest of your company? How is Activision scum for releasing iterations of Guitar Hero and Call of Duty each year when consumer demand continues to be high? How is he scum for raising revenue, marketshare, share prices and his company's visability since he's been CEO? How about you little dipshits stop whinning about things you know nothing about on the internet for a change?

Ju4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

Yeah, he did a fine job. If you declare greed as one of your principals in your business strategy, that is. No other CEO is as outspoken as he is and yet manages to make money with their companies. Activision is sure not the only one who has achieved this. Others with a lower profit margin, but this does not disqualify them of being a successful company.

jony_dols4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

@Stanlee. What the hell do you know about running a multi billion dollar company? Bobby Kotick is a trash talking, arrogant fool, he is effectively driving away business from
Activision.

Is that what your idea of a professional is? How often do you hear the CEO of McDonalds trash talking about BurgerKing? Or hear the chairman of Texaco bitchin about BP. These companies compete angainst each in advertising and prices, like any other other professional business, not bickering like a jealous 4 year old.

I for one has made the decision to buy Medal of Honor instead of Black Ops. Many other gamers are consciencely not going to buy Black Ops because of Bobby Kotick. His little opinion pieces are going to end up severely tarnishing Activisions reputation and reduce profits.

Activision and Bobby Kotick both know that the companies profits peaked with MW2, both the COD and GH franchises are diminishing in popularity, and future enteries into the series will never sell as well as the originals, hes grasping at EAs coat tails, who he knows has fresh and innovative IPs and well established franchises.

Rhythmattic4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

StanLee

You are right.

He is a Business man, wanting to make money for his shareholders, which in turn , pays his most likely ridiculous pay cheque..

As for His ethics ??

The guy said they were friends in the infinity ward days..... now recently stating they have backstabbed him...

They probably did, and when all 30 or more walk out on him , do you really think it was the Love ??

PS. Twat do you mean, Stan Flap ?

Leio4957d ago

@StanLee

Thats make him a decent CEO but a scumbag he still is.

And what do you know about running a multi billions company you litle twat ?

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4957d ago
DORMIN4958d ago

Protip for Kotick: Be more like Kevin Butler

Chuk_Chuk4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

“We’re a public company, we’ve got ethic obligations, and the things they did were... I would go to jail if I did them.”

hold on, stop right there. who are you to talk about ethics?

kaveti66164958d ago

Take an ethics class. Even though we feel that Kotick is an unethical dick, he hasn't actually done anything unethical. Seeking profit is not unethical.

JoelR4958d ago

The way this whole thing has come down has not been good for anyone involved and would have been much better handled internally but both sides decided the media should be involved... I am embarrassed to be in the industry with this stupidity going on.
I have never been sure West and Zampella weren't in secret negotiations with EA. Their new company formed and had a contract to fast not to suspect otherwise. In that case then yes West and Zampella would be in breach of contract at the very least and in the extreme case could be charged with any number of white collar crimes. OTOH we will see at trial the evidence for wrong doing on both sides - then we can decided who is guilty and who is not.

Guilty until proven innocent is not the western legal way.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4957d ago
DelbertGrady4958d ago (Edited 4958d ago )

Kotick would never be jailed. He's constantly equipped with the "one with the devil" and "get outta jail freecard" perks.

@ZombieAutopsy - That's the official story. In reality Kotick tried to sell their souls as DLC. He's like Highlander. In a couple of years he will have harnessed enough power to run Activision completely by himself, developing and releasing a new COD on a monthly basis.

ZombieAutopsy4958d ago

Weren't they just looking for a different publisher because their contract was getting close to being up and Activision didn't pay them what they were suppose to???

I guess yea they should of waited to look for a different pub but when you are getting screwed out of what I can only imagine being millions of dollars I wouldn't wanna wait either.

outrageous4958d ago

They had signed a deal with the release of MW1 and then after the game started to do well, wanted to not only renegotiate the contract but thought they could actually walk away with the franchise...O_o

EA has a big role to play in this as it was them that started all the problems by telling those two morons to go over to EA and they would be paid a fortune. They actually worked for EA and then left to make COD at Activision. I hope these two Infinity Ward bone heads lose everything and are not allowed to market or sell a game in the same year as a COD game...meaning NEVER. Kotick was right, if he pulled something like that he'd be in jail.

Urmomlol4958d ago

Did Kotick really just say something about ethics and obligations?

L - O - MOTHERFUCKING -L

theonlylolking4958d ago

You better be jailed for just being the boss of activision.

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120°

Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Video games are no longer just a simple past time. Today's games are evolving into true works of art. Offering intriguing narratives, cinematic setpieces, and profound messages, games can entertain us for hundreds of hours.

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wealthofgeeks.com
Chard9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

I never got around to mass effect - I’m skeptical that it would hold up if I were to try it now

Furesis8h ago

I would say it does. The combat is a bit shit for todays standards but everything else is great.

anast7h ago

It's worth a play through today.

gold_drake24m ago

the first one is abit the odd one out but after u finished it, believe it it gets tremendously better and better

90°

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron - Coming Back for a New Generation

Originally launched in 2011, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is coming to Nintendo Switch, so It's time to look back at the original.

jznrpg1d 3h ago

Still have my ps3 copies. Bought it at launch and another one when I found it cheap and in perfect condition about 10 years ago. I wouldn’t buy it on Switch but if they made a PS5 version I would. I still have one of my PS3 Fats hooked up so good to go either way.

darthv721d 3h ago

Id play it again on the switch. I wished my 360 version was bc but this is still a good way to play.

150°

Fallout 3's Reveal Led To Death Threats And Bethesda's First Security Guard

The artist behind Fallout 4’s Deathclaw reveals just how bad things got back when Bethesda took over the series

anast1d 4h ago

People are stupid I get it. No one should feel unsafe,

But I think they need to talk about why they cut so many corners during the development process and why none of their games ever look current. And why they think all of this is okay while they charge full price.

LucasRuinedChildhood1d 4h ago

As much as Bethesda deserve criticism, that's not really relevant to the reveal of Fallout 3 in 2007.

VenomUK1d 1h ago

The default angle Kotaku always go for is to highlight the worst in gaming.

I would’ve focused on the creative.

anast7h ago

The game went downhill at Fallout 3's release. This is when they started to cut corners.

gold_drake1d ago

there is no "but". the hell lol
you dont send death threats, period.

anast7h ago

Usually, you have good comments but this isn't one of them. It just rides the mob. We can do both condemn the actions and not let them use it for other things.

I can say I received a death threat and everyone needs to shut up. People are not honest and will use horrible things to their advantage.

Armaggedon19h ago

Not all games “look” current.

anast7h ago

Their games always look like the gen before it.

gold_drake49m ago

mh ok thanks, i still think ur wrong in this mate.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 49m ago