A former Infinity Ward developer has shared his side of the chaotic period following the 2010 firing of studio founders Vince Zampella and Jason West. His account, published on LinkedIn, sheds light on the challenges Activision faced in keeping staff on board after the controversial decision.
Paul Sandler, now a lead designer at NetEase Games, recounts the shock and anger that swept through the studio upon learning of the founders’ dismissal (first spotted by PC Gamer). He describes a “collective feeling of unfairness” among team members who felt Zampella and West had been instrumental in fostering a successful and critically acclaimed development environment. This would be after the major success of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
“The only thing clear at that time was that Jason and Vince had been blindsided and fired for ‘insubordination’, after a series of executive-level meetings, before Activision security guards showed up at the studio to make sure they could not come back inside.”
Paul Sandler
This sentiment fueled a wave of resignations, with Sandler estimating roughly 40 developers, nearly half the studio’s headcount, departing in solidarity with the ousted leaders. The mass exodus posed a significant threat to the development of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, a crucial title in the Call of Duty franchise. Recognizing the potential damage, Activision reportedly attempted to incentivize remaining staff with financial offers, including previously earned bonuses and a 50% salary increase.
Sandler suggests these efforts fell flat, further highlighting the emotional disconnect between employees and leadership. Zampella and West, along with several departing Infinity Ward team members, went on to establish Respawn Entertainment under EA’s backing. They found success with franchises like Titanfall and the widely popular battle royale Apex Legends.
Meanwhile, Infinity Ward, under Activision, continued development on the Call of Duty series. The studio produced Modern Warfare 3 with assistance from other studios and later released reboots of Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. The whole post is a lot more detailed, so I’d recommend reading it, but these were the highlights.
Sandler’s account offers a great perspective on how it feels when great leaders get taken out by parent companies. Only the founders of Infinity Ward and Activision can say the specific circumstances around the firings, but Sandler’s take on this pivotal moment gives us some insight.
Comments