MW series and Activision

[Gogeta]

As of latest news, Activision is trying to take the MW series from Infinity Ward and has fired the CEO of IW because of the "Legal Rights" of the series. Also if you recall, Activision took the rights of ID Games and the title DooM from them. I have came across a lot of forums that have a lot of disputes between IW and Activision. Please let me know what your thoughts are on what Activision is doing.

I personally think Activision is being very stupid for trying to take the MW series from IW. Activision was only apart of the program for advertising purposes and now they are suing for the entire title for CoD4 MW and CoD6 MW2.

[Zargabaath]

From the articles that have been released of Activision's debacle, Activision acting stupidly does not is not appropriate. With quite a few members leaving Infinity Ward and those who have left plus some still at IW suing Activision over bonus money, Activision has greatly tarnished their name and have mishandled the situation. Activision decided that they wanted to take a direct hit from Kefka's Light of Judgment. It is a huge PR mess at Activision right now, though the employees leaving IW appeared to have stop more could be on their way out. I am interested to see how these legal battles play out cause I am on the side of IW.

Great idea for merchandise - make t-shirts saying " I'm with Infinity Ward"; similiar to the " I'm with Coco" shirts for the Conan O'Brien-NBC fight.

[Gogeta]

I totally agree with you. I stand with IW. Activision is blinded only seeing the view of taking everyone over who has them be used for advertising and they are very stupid for doing so.

[Jin]

I've been following this for a while now, and I have to admit, it makes for some good entertainment. I think my signature illustrates clearly enough where I place blame, but who knows for sure. I've never liked Activision (at least not since Vivendi took ownership), so I'm admittedly biased.

Something like 38 employees have departed IW now, many of which could be considered the higher echelons of the team, so it will be interesting to see if the quality of IW products takes a hit from this. It will also be interesting to see the final products of Respawn Entertainment.

[Gogeta]

It is entertaining, but I feel bad for IW because their idea is getting stolen by stupid Activision. I hope that someday they will get taken down for fraud or whatnot (Idk, just listing fraud as an example)

[Jin]

I may be mistaken, but I think the Modern Warfare IP has some role within the lawsuit (not the joint IW employees vs Activison, but West and Zampella vs Activision. I know, Activision has more lawsuits than they know what to do with). Activision definitely owns the rights to the Call of Duty IP, but the Modern Warfare IP is a little more fuzzy. I wish I could remember (and I'm far too tired to look it up right now), but I recall there being some discrepancy on who owned the Modern Warfare IP.

At any rate, West and Zampella and those that followed them will be fine at Respawn Entertainment. With EA backing them, they've got plenty of financial support (and maybe this time they'll be paid their royalties) and I'm sure they'll do fine. I'm more interested to see what happens to those that have stayed at IW. Will 402 survive?!

[loaf]

I really don't care what IW or Activision does with the CoD series. They broke my heart when they released CoD2 and everything after. Only way I will like IW again is if they make a new game like the original CoD and it's expansion, but better....but not what they did with the series.

[Musashiden]

I really don't care what IW or Activision does with the CoD series. They broke my heart when they released CoD2 and everything after. Only way I will like IW again is if they make a new game like the original CoD and it's expansion, but better....but not what they did with the series.

Please. Not another WWII shooter. I don't think I can take it o_o. Either way, the only thing that really changed from CoD1 to CoD2 and beyond in terms of gameplay was the health system.

Anyway, I think Activision is just butthurt over the sales of Tony Hawk Ride and Guitar Hero plummeting so they're trying to scrape every last dollar out of their one remaining cash cow, the CoD series, even if it means completely and utterly obliterating IW and themselves at the same time. Besides, even if IW does crumble along with the MW franchise, they still have Treyarch, and they seem to think that the CoD series is good in their hands. Take a look at Big Red One, Call of Duty 3, and World at War and tell me if you think that's true. All of those game were piss poor in comparison to the IW created ones, and Black Ops is shaping up to be just as bad.

[loaf]

Please. Not another WWII shooter. I don't think I can take it o_o. Either way, the only thing that really changed from CoD1 to CoD2 and beyond in terms of gameplay was the health system.

Anyway, I think Activision is just butthurt over the sales of Tony Hawk Ride and Guitar Hero plummeting so they're trying to scrape every last dollar out of their one remaining cash cow, the CoD series, even if it means completely and utterly obliterating IW and themselves at the same time.

I didn't say WWII shooter. I want it like the first one, the physics, the FPS shooter made for PC, not console. Also other then a Health change, everything about the games bullet and gun physics were changed. The community changed, the maps were changed. CoD2 spawned smaller maps because they opened up their main series to console also making a new community.

The game turned into this run and gun spray fest.

[Musashiden]

I didn't say WWII shooter. I want it like the first one, the physics, the FPS shooter made for PC, not console. Also other then a Health change, everything about the games bullet and gun physics were changed. The community changed, the maps were changed. CoD2 spawned smaller maps because they opened up their main series to console also making a new community.

The game turned into this run and gun spray fest.

Given that the console market boomed exponentially with the release of the current generation consoles, can you really blame them for gearing themselves towards the console market? Besides, all the PC market is really heavily populated with anymore is pay-to-play MMO's since piracy (despite developers attempts to curb it with things like SecuROM that punish the subservient consumer for their patronage) is so rampant. Calibrating an FPS to work well with both a console and a PC is not a bad thing. Sure, it makes the games a little more frantic, but the core gameplay does indeed remain unchanged. You aim, you shoot, and hopefully you nail the other guy in the head.

[loaf]

You aim, you shoot, and hopefully you nail the other guy in the head.

That is true, but just from my point of view. Playing CoD and CoD:UO which was PC only and then playing CoD2 in leagues, the way people played the game changed. People used less strategy, and more run and gun and hope you shoot faster rather then. Being hidden and killing someone from afar without knowing where you were.

[Gogeta]

I think Activision is very very stupid for even taking any game from anyone like ID games and Harminix. I think they brainwash their employees to try and rip people off, I personally will never buy a game with Activision sponsored again.

[Jin]

I think Activision is very very stupid for even taking any game from anyone like ID games and Harminix. I think they brainwash their employees to try and rip people off, I personally will never buy a game with Activision sponsored again.

What do you mean by "taking any game from anyone"?

[Gogeta]

What do you mean by "taking any game from anyone"?

I mean taking a game from a company who originally had the rights to it for their idea.

[Jin]

You mean buying an IP? I don't really see how that's particularly nefarious. IPs change hands all the time. It's not like they bought them at gun point.

[Musashiden]

You mean buying an IP? I don't really see how that's particularly nefarious. IPs change hands all the time. It's not like they bought them at gun point.

In fact sometimes an IP switching hands is a good thing. Take a look at the WWE games for example. When Acclaim had the rights to their games, we ended up with blocky nearly uncontrollable sluggish turds. When THQ took over and made Smackdown!, we got a much better, faster paced, more refined wrestling game. Not a great example given that wrestling games are never particularly epic, but you get the idea. Acclaim made a bad series that when handed to THQ improved remarkably.