Rumor: Activision raids Infinity Ward like anti-terrorist squad @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on March 02, 2010

News: And possibly fires the company's founders.

Late last night, G4's Patrick Klepek learned that Activision security had stormed the Infinity Ward offices and removed studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella.

"Everyone is on edge," a source told Klepek after several "bouncer-types" forced their way into the building.

The "raid" happened a few minutes after Activision publicly filed a Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the form was the following statement:

The Company is concluding an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward. This matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation.

This belief that "departures of key personnel" would happen at Inifinity Ward is consistent with Jason West's updated LinkedIn profile, which lists his employment at the company from January 2001 to March 2010.

It's possible that the removal of West and Zampella from Infinity Ward could result in the creation of a new studio as that's how Infinity Ward began in the first place. West, Zampella and twenty others left 2015 Inc. in 2002 to start IW. 2015 hasn't released a game since 2004's Men of Valor. So let's hope that doesn't happen to Infinity Ward.

We'll have more soon.