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Infinity Ward suffers more losses

Design lead Mackey McCandlish, senior animator Bruce Ferriz, programmer Jon Shiring exit despite Activision dangling prospect of increased royalty payouts.

Activision brass took the nuclear option at Infinity Ward in March, firing studio cofounders Vince Zampella and Jason West over charges of breach of contract and insubordination. Though the reaction was strong in the games press, analysts largely shrugged at the decision. A consensus said that the move wouldn't have much impact on Activision's bottom line, unless it sparked a brain drain of talent at Infinity Ward.

Though it's too early to call it a brain drain, five senior Infinity Ward staffers have announced their departure, with three leaving just this week.

Infinity Ward continues to suffer casualties of business.

Infinity Ward continues to suffer casualties of business.

Perhaps the most significant of the recent round of departures is design lead Mackey McCandlish, who has been with Infinity Ward since the first Call of Duty shipped in 2003. McCandlish revealed his departure via Twitter. "Thanks idub, we had a great 8+ year run going there. Thanks for lunch everyone!" the developer's farewell tweet reads.

McCandlish is the second design lead to part ways with Infinity Ward this month. Last week, multiplayer design lead Todd Aldermann and lead software engineer Francesco Gigliotti, revealed through their LinkedIn profiles that they were no longer with Infinity Ward. Notably, McCandlish and Todd Aldermann make up one half of Infinity Ward's design leads credited on Modern Warfare 2.

This week also saw the departure of Jon Shiring, who has been with Infinity Ward since June 2004. "After almost 6 years at Infinity Ward, I resigned today. I'm incredibly proud of everything we accomplished and I'm going to miss everyone," the programmer said through his Twitter feed. Shiring's credits include Call of Duty 2 as well as Modern Warfare and its top-selling sequel.

Lastly, Bruce Ferriz has also left Infinity Ward this month, according to his LinkedIn profile. Though he was only with the company since March 2009, Ferriz held a senior-level animator position at the studio.

Activision has taken steps to prevent a continued hemorrhaging of talent at Infinity Ward. As part of its counterclaim to West and Zampella's $36 million lawsuit, the publisher said that once it "prevails in this matter, it intends to reallocate any share of the Modern Warfare 2 bonus pool that might otherwise have been payable to West and Zampella to those employees responsible for the success of the game who remain employees of the company subsequent to the resolution of the matter."

None of the aforementioned developers have indicated their future plans. In announcing Respawn Entertainment yesterday, West and Zampella declined to comment on whether they expected to hire other Infinity Ward alumni. However, the two did say that its publishing partner, Electronic Arts, has provided the startup with funds to staff up and "build a blockbuster product."

464 Comments

  • mms420mms

    Posted Apr 22, 2010 11:51 pm GMT

    Zampella and Jason made history for infityward ,but it is sad for infinityward that it lost great member/designers like them. Looks like activision dig its own grave.If Zampella and Jason jion EA sports then it will be great rise up to top.
    MY &gmaespot member Best wishes to those great designer for their future.

  • Venom_injektion

    Posted Apr 19, 2010 8:48 pm GMT

    Activision just lost it all... or shall I say the rest of it. They aren't going to last much longer, Vince Zampella and Jason West were the heart and brain of the franchise. Now Activision will surely bleed out, and quickly. EA is likely to rise up beautifully from all of this.

  • yang4200

    Posted Apr 18, 2010 11:48 pm GMT

    Im starting to believe that activision really did screw over those 2 dude now

  • karloss01

    Posted Apr 18, 2010 12:28 pm GMT

    Good night, sweet prince.

    Infinity Ward
    2002 - 2010

  • kmconstable

    Posted Apr 17, 2010 8:55 am GMT

    What if the ex-IW heads get the rights back to the COD series? Then EA would really be happy! That would be quite the twist

  • redskinStu

    Posted Apr 16, 2010 2:16 pm GMT

    Just like the Guitar Hero thing, with big bucks comes big egoes (on both sides).

  • IRISH_VANDAL

    Posted Apr 16, 2010 1:11 pm GMT

    WHA-WHA-WHA- WHATTT? These 2 have been in bed together? Holy cash cow family. How is the little man developers going to survive. DOWN WITH THE JUGGERNAUTS. By used if you can make it. Don't give the profits to these developers/publishers. We are being taken time and time again without the advancements we rightfully deserve.GAMERS UNITE.

  • p4kman88

    Posted Apr 16, 2010 10:26 am GMT

    *pourin out 40oz 211 steel reserve* ....for the dead homies....

  • Henninger

    Posted Apr 15, 2010 7:53 pm GMT

    @ ActionManly U know wut ur rite!

  • asimplerapper

    Posted Apr 15, 2010 12:06 pm GMT

    infinity ward's golden age is over

  • metalhead1966

    Posted Apr 15, 2010 3:34 am GMT

    Hopefully the idiots who decided not to use dedicated servers for multiplayer are gone. Peer to peer is crap. Lag galore, hangs, host transfers... You would think a multibillion $ game would have servers.

  • atakan5

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 9:05 pm GMT

    REVENGE OF THE EA.EA WANTS BACK 2015 STUDIO BECAUSE INFINITY WARD CAME THIS PLACE FROM 2015 STUDIO.

  • Gelugon_baat

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 8:25 pm GMT

    EA would be rubbing its dirty, greasy hands in glee now at the predicament of its closest competitor.

    Activision has always been a self-righteous jerk, perhaps even more so than EA; it's always retorting with sanctimonious and hollow statements. Keep this up and there will be no one to give bonuses to when the lawsuit is over.

    At least EA just simply ignores any criticism and continue looking for people gullible enough to buy their products and "develop" s**t for them.

  • andalore posted Apr 14, 2010 4:10 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    andalore

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 4:10 pm GMT (hide)

    Well at least The fresh faces that are replacingall these Departees will hopefully add new Ideas to the CoD games

  • abbnormmal

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 3:41 pm GMT

    Maximize the profits on that Activision.

  • getsome35

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 3:18 pm GMT

    Yes killeroo, the development team started with EA on the Medal of Honor Allied Assault PC game which had the same addicting multiplayer mode call of duty has. They have "respawned" in the industry more than once, creating hit games each time.

  • bignick217

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 2:56 pm GMT

    "the publisher said that once it "prevails in this matter, it intends to reallocate any share of the Modern Warfare 2 bonus pool that might otherwise have been payable to West and Zampella to those employees responsible for the success of the game who remain employees of the company subsequent to the resolution of the matter.""

    What?! Oh so they mean the same bonus they "claim" to have tried to give to the team prior to West and Zampella's departure. The same funds they "claim" West and Zempella blocked them from giving. The same funds they could have given anyway after West and Zampella left and before the lawsuit if their "claims" were true. Last I heard, Activision has a lot more money at their disposal than $36 million dollars, so what's "really" stopping Activision from handing over the "bonus" they "claim" to want to give to the Infinity Ward team for doing a good job. If they did a good job, they did a good job. West and Zampella's lawsuit should have "NO" bearing on the entitlement of bonus's to be given to the Infinity Ward team. This sounds more like a ploy by Activision to create animosity within the Infinity Ward team towards West and Zampella and to try to force the Infinity Ward team members to stay in their current roles in the hopes of receiving a "bonus" they probably won't see and should have received a long time ago. Sorry Activision, I'm not buying it. It makes no sense. I smell bull@#$%.

  • ebun100

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 2:54 pm GMT

    I bet EA will really be smiling about all this and waiting anxiously to receive the other Infinity Ward resignees.

  • killeroo

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 2:37 pm GMT

    didnt infinity ward form from the old medal of honor designers? hopefully they will reform again and create another game, going to be very interesting

  • XEKazumi

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 2:28 pm GMT

    In the World of Warcraft, whenever something dies, it inevitably respawns. Oh the irony. You people will get your next MW, but instead of being fed fake cheese you will get actual ice cream, under a different name most likely.

  • alexLmx6

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 2:16 pm GMT

    good stuff, activision will haveta learn sooner or later not to abuse its employees

  • wwlettsome

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 1:46 pm GMT

    Yep, nice job of hanging onto your talent Kotick. Activison = number one at destroying valuable IP's.

  • mardinn

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 1:25 pm GMT

    No, really? Infinity Ward is going down like Duke Nukem "ForEver"

  • maverick_76

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 1:21 pm GMT

    If I was to stay on I would have them put it all in writing that they are going to increase the royalty payout, in exact figures too.

  • twistedmalice

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 1:19 pm GMT

    No looking good for Infinity Ward. Time will tell.

  • cyborg100000

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 12:51 pm GMT

    I can see the smile slowly disappearing off Bobby's face.

  • Paulf001 posted Apr 14, 2010 12:50 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Paulf001

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 12:50 pm GMT (hide)

    These guys have got to be nuts to leave a job in this economy.

  • Cidious84

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 12:39 pm GMT

    R.I.P. Modern Warfare franchise 2007-2010...the good die so young :-(

  • electroban posted Apr 14, 2010 12:28 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    electroban

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 12:28 pm GMT (hide)

    Welll it may NOT affect the next CoD game, I mean let's face it, they've been using the same gfx line as MW and MW2. These games are not huge, the levels are all small, most of the money spent goes into advertisement and story. The gfx are already in place, all they need is some level designers. The Modern Warfare series has always been about the swooshy single player with the set piece combat, and the sub par multiplayer, that every1 thinks is good becos their only other experience is a Halo shooter.

  • XanderZane

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 11:45 am GMT

    It won't effect Activision immediately, but when they decide to finish working on MW3, it might. There's no doubt the game won't be as polished as that other games with so much of the lead talent leaving IW. As I said a while back, these guys should have just sold the rights to CoD and MW, and stay away from Activision completely. Start up their new developing studio and start from scratch.

  • legioniers

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 11:42 am GMT

    So will there be another "Call of Duty" or no i hope not because they didn't do that good with Modern Warfare 2 or the stimulus packages. they are ok but not that great.

  • JunoFallon

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 11:22 am GMT

    Well ultimately I know this still won't affect Activision in the long run but I'm glad to see some of the IW staff members have a bit of integrity.

  • Unholy123

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:58 am GMT

    Hah! You know the company is blowing smoke up the remaining employees *sses doing w/e it can to make them stay. I like that they say how they are gonna give this money to those that stay buuuuuut only once they "prevail in this matter" so if we lose and you stay... well sucks to be you. I imagine the conversation they have sounds like this "So... were gonna look at maybe giving you a tiny tiny little nugget of that massive gold mine you made for us, so huh huh thats cool guys right? you'll stay? Guys....?" Oh Activision you use to be cool man.

  • Nodashi

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:48 am GMT

    This is SO GOOD to EAgames it's not even funny. Vivendi, AKA Activision Blizzard parent company, should have stopped Kotick before he did that much damage to one of the only 2 lucrative studios they have. Now Activision Blizzard is pretty much... Blizzard. And as good as blizzard is, they launch 1 game every 5 years or so. So they revenue is bound to be dependant on MMOs, and everything in business know how mab is to depend on a sigle cow to mantain your income.

  • Raxyman

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:46 am GMT

    That's "For the record" of Activision.

  • muzmyyster

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:45 am GMT

    I think it was wrong what Activision did and i don't think their giving the full story. Vince and Zampella deserved that bonus in my opinion good for them for fighting back.

  • wolfyrabbit

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:35 am GMT

    plz don't affect blizzard!!

  • The_Mad_Hatter

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:32 am GMT

    and this how activision implodes and killed the modern warfare saga and this is how Respawn Entertainment gives the finishing blow with a vengeance.

  • jrorl63

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:30 am GMT

    well no more COD... o well

  • nintendo-naut

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:30 am GMT

    CoD fans be afraid. Be very, very afraid.

  • Takeno456

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:28 am GMT

    The death of a once powerful company.

  • wolfyrabbit

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:24 am GMT

    stock prices drop even lower today...

  • KuRf

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:19 am GMT

    sun tzu said...when u cut the head everything will follow....n yes everything does follow...

    "let us today pray for the destruction of an evil empire 'Activision'" who despite their name doesn't really reflect on it...should change it to NOVISION...

    imagine...ppl there putting their resignation...when out from the studio n enter the respawn studio just down the road...tat'll be funny...lol

  • 73X

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:16 am GMT

    Suck it, Kotick!

  • Darksonic666

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:14 am GMT

    hope there will still be a call of duty 7

  • volume_three

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 10:08 am GMT

    Reap it Activision. Reap it!

  • Flatbattery

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 9:57 am GMT

    And the life blood slowly drips away...........Feeling cold yet Activision?

  • sizzlingdviper

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 9:56 am GMT

    Looks Very Grim for next installment

  • Hanzoadam

    Posted Apr 14, 2010 9:55 am GMT

    good for them to walk out they're sicking together, I don;t like call of duty that much so I wouldn't care if they never made anymore but its nice to see them stick together

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