West/Zampella lawsuit detailed

Kotaku has got its hands on the 16-page complaint filed by Infinity Ward founders Jason West and Vince Zampella against publisher Activision. On Monday the pair were fired by Activision for alleged insubordination.

You’ll want to read the complete document for a better understanding of West and Zampella’s version of events, but here are a few snippets.

“This lawsuit is solely and regrettably the result of the astonishing arrogance and unbridled greed of defendant Activision,” states the document. “Plaintiffs Jason West and Vince Zampella are among the most talented and successful videogame developers in the world. They created for Activision two videogame franchises, Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, that became the most successful in the company’s – indeed, the industry’s – history, lining Activision’s pockets with billions of dollars in revenue and creating a die-hard fan base in the millions.”

“Just weeks before Messrs. West and Zampella were to receive the royalties for their hard work on Modern Warfare 2, Activision fired them in the hope that by doing so, it would avoid paying them what they had rightfully earned, and to seize control of the Infinity Ward Studio, to which Activision had previously granted creative control over all Modern Warfare branded games and had, apparently, decided it no longer wanted to live with.”

The document also refers to charges of insubordination as “unstated and unsubstantiated” and labels a meeting between the pair and Activision as a “sham”.

West and Zampella are seeking to be “paid the compensation they have earned” and to be awarded the “contractual rights” granted to them by Activision to “control Modern Warfare branded games”. Damages are sought in excess of $36 million.

Activision has now responded to this lawsuit.