(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); US, March 5, 2010 - This week, the gaming world watched with morbid fascination as Infinity Ward, the development studio that created the enormously popular Call of Duty series, imploded. In a flurry of press releases, legal filings, rumors and social networking status changes, Infinity Ward developers and publisher/owner Activision took their private war public.

The extent of the damage is still unknown, but we have solid intel in a few key areas. First, we know key Infinity Ward developers Jason West and Vince Zampella have been forced out in the wake of a bitter dispute with their corporate masters. It's trouble, we're told, that had been brewing for a long time. We also know Activision is already moving on with the Call of Duty franchise, giving new installments to internal studios Sledgehammer Games and Treyarch.

So what's really going on? Here's a quick and dirty guide to everything we know about the Call of Dutygate so far.

MONDAY
Trouble Begins Brewing At Infinity Ward

News starts trickling in about an incident at Infinity Ward's L.A.-area studios. Employees report seeing unfamiliar faces around the office, and rumors begin to fly. Infinity Ward employees are reportedly shaken by all the confusion. Studio head and COO Vince Zampella and President Jason West change their Infinity Ward employment statuses on the popular online business networking site LinkedIn to "past."

TUESDAY
Activision Confirms Infinity Ward Departures

Up to now, the fate of Zampella and West has been just rumor and speculation. But the picture begins to fill in when Activision files a notice about the change in its key personnel with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. There's apparently been a late-night internal human resources investigation, and when it's all over, Zampella and West are confirmed to be out. Activision slots its own execs into their old positions. Notably, the company's head of Asia Pacific publishing takes control of the Call of Duty franchise.


WEDNESDAY
New Call of Duty Title Announced

Remember when the creators of Dead Space left EA to form a new internal Activision studio called Sledgehammer Games? Turns out they've been tapped to take Call of Duty in an "action-adventure" direction. Internal Activision studio Treyarch is already at work on a 2010 CoD installment, and Sledgehammer's entry is on deck sometime in the future. Infinity Ward is still making add-ons for Modern Warfare 2. Beyond that, their future involvement with the series is unknown. A new Call of Duty game is announced for 2011, but its developer is unknown. Activision announces that it plans to expand the franchise into new markets, including parts of Asia.

THURSDAY
Infinity Ward Founders File Lawsuit Against Activision

Details emerge as West and Zampella lawyer up. They claim Activision refused to pay them for their work on Modern Warfare 2 and then launched a sham insubordination investigation as a pretext to force them out of the company. West and Zampella say in the documents that Activision witheld royalty payments due to them for Modern Warfare 2. In their lawsuit against the publisher, the two industry veterans claim ownership of certain aspects of the Call of Duty franchise. Activision begs to differ.


Activision Responds to Infinity Ward Lawsuit

Later in the day, the publisher fires back with a strongly-worded response to the former Infinity Ward heads' suit. In a press release, Activision says it is "disappointed" with the ousted Infinity Ward leaders and calls their legal claims "meritless." A spokesperson says the publisher "showed enormous patience" with the developers and was forced to fire them based on their conduct. Activision assures fans that it controls Call of Duty and will continue to make games in the series for the millions of fans that helped make it a success.

Court Documents Detail Infinity Ward's Clash With Activision

Infinity Ward's lawsuit against Activision surfaces. The 16-page filing explains that West and Zampella had an agreement with Activision that would allow them to retain creative control of the Modern Warfare brand or any Call of Duty game set in the present or future. They claim in the suit that Activision refused to honor that agreement after Modern Warfare 2 launched. They seek $36 million in damages for unpaid royalties.


FRIDAY
Industry Analysts Discuss Impact Of 'Call Of Duty' Lawsuit

So what happens now? Will Infinity Ward continue to make Modern Warfare games? Will West and Zampella end up at Electronic Arts, where they kickstarted their careers on Medal of Honor? IGN's Jim Reilly spoke with videogame industry analysts to get their thoughts on the future of Activision, its former golden boys and the studio that made them all rich.


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Hope we get Dlc

Cool Nerd$
.....DG.....

sorry, but someone just posted this yesterday

After all this time of making these games who wouldve thought they would end like this? Sounds like IW got a little to big for there britches.

Anyone care to summarise what is happening, I don't get ANY of it

do not really understand it

Watch the video like i said

Infinity Ward dudes made the game, and had this stuff that let them stay in control of MW2. Activision didn't care about the contract, and kept controlling MW2, without paying the IW dudes a right amount of money. So, IW sued.

If Activision loses IW. I would tell activision "DON'T CONTINUE to make COD games" Not without IW around.

Because i didn't post this yesterday or anything...