Goodbye Infinity Ward. Hello Respawn Entertainment.

[nCogNeato]

Following Activision's highly publicised termination of Modern Warfare creators Jason West and Vince Zampella, former Infinity Ward studio heads have officially revealed their new studio, Respawn Entertainment, and their partnership with EA.

"For the past decade we led a great development team and poured our hearts into creating an epic game franchise," Zampella said in a statement. "We're very proud of what we built – and proud that so many millions of fans enjoyed those games. Today we hope to do it all over again — open a new studio, hire a great team, and create brand new games with a new partner, EA."

From what's been reported, it seems West and Zampella have learned from their history at Activision.  Respawn Entertainment will remain an independently-owned development studio, and retain ownership of their intellectual properties.

"We're excited. Now that the team is in control of the games and brands, we can ensure that the fans are treated as well as they deserve," said Respawn Entertainment president West.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the first title from Respawn should be released within three years.



In related news ... Activision is not surprised.   

[sambo]

Respawn Entertainment. Ironic seeing some of the respawning trouble I had in their games.

[KoreRupt]

Respawn Entertainment. Ironic seeing some of the respawning trouble I had in their games.

Well I guess its entertainment for the bastards that spawn kill us. 

[GamerMan316]

Respawn being held back by Activision lawsuit
Call of Duty creators feeling "the financial and non-financial burdens" of legal battle

Former Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella have said that their ongoing legal battle with Activision is having a negative impact on their efforts to get new studio Respawn up and running.

According to documents obtained by Kotaku, the Call of Duty creators believe Activision's bid to draw Respawn publishing partner EA into the case is a tactic designed to delay the trial - scheduled for May - in an effort to hurt them financially and slow work on their new IP.

The documents reveal that West and Vince Zampella "are paying for this litigation from our own funds" and that the cost of the suit has already "[exceeded] our combined annual salaries".

The pair also said that "any delay of the trial in this lawsuit would increase the financial and non-financial burdens and would continue to distract us from running our business and earning a living."

[nCogNeato]

110% of legal disputes are won by whomever has the most resources, not by whomever is actually right.

It's a marathon, and Activision counted on that since the day the suit was filed.  But that's the kind of thing you have to expect when you get into bed with the devil.  Stop complaining, Respawn, and start digging in those sofa cushions. 

[GamerMan316]

THQ just missed out on signing Respawn
Deal fell through because publisher insisted on owning studio's new IP

Respawn may have signed with THQ instead of EA, but the publisher's insistence that it would need ownership rights of the studio's new IP scuppered the deal.

That's according to THQ core games boss Danny Bilson, who told Wired: "We were one deal point away from signing [Respawn]... My responsibility to our stockholders and to my CEO and the company is to build an IP library."

Allowing Call of Duty creators and Respawn founders Jason West and Vince Zampella to retain IP ownership rights would "open the doors for everyone else to say 'I wanna own it too,'" Bilson explained.

Zampella corroborated Bilson's story, telling Wired: "I've known Danny Bilson for many years, so THQ was one of the publishers who approached us. We had serious discussions with them.

"As for the IP ownership, frankly, after what we'd just been through with Activision, owning the IP we were going to create was important to us. Unfortunately, THQ did not want to agree to that."

Respawn subsequently signed with publisher EA, which agreed to let the developer retain ownership of its new IP.

It may have missed out on Respawn, but THQ has since managed to sign an array of exciting development talent including Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki and Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro.

[Legion]

Greedy companies don't get sh*t. I already like Respawn

[nCogNeato]

THQ just missed out on signing Respawn
Deal fell through because publisher insisted on owning studio's new IP

No s*** Sherlock.  The fundamental reason they left Activision was because they had no control over their creations.  Why on earth would they repeat the same mistake with THQ.

Bad move, THQ.