Activision Sues Former Infinity Ward Heads AND Electronic Arts (EA)

Harsh! Looks like Activision is taking a lawsuit it's filed with former Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West to another level by amending their complaint to include EA as well. This complaint amendment was written and sent out yesterday to the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, the original claim being filed way back in April. Activision alleges that these two former Infinity Ward fellows along with EA secretly discussed (way back into July 2009) the possibility of creating an independent game studio, and in doing so, would both end the Call of Duty line of warfare games and drain Activision of it's talent.

In the amended statement sent out yesterday, Activision noted: "In this amended cross-complaint, Activision alleges that Electronic Arts conspired with two former senior Activision executives, West and Zampella, to derail Activision's Call of Duty franchise, disrupt its Infinity Ward development studio, and inflict serious harm on the company. This pleading lays out an intentional and systematic pattern of deception by the former executives and Electronic Arts to hijack Activision assets for greed and corporate gain." Harsh!

Not only that, but Activision noted that around the time of their termination from the groups, both Zampella and West "refused to adhere to even the minimal standards of behavior required of any employee or executive." Activision says these two fellow had a secret meeting with EA while they were still employed and talked with Creative Artists Agency's Seamus Blackley at the word of EA CEO John Riccitiello. Blackley is alleged to have emailed Zampella several times, once even saying, in such a silly way, "JR cooks a mean BBQ. I think we could accomplish some interesting chaos" – JR apparently meaning John Riccitiello.

[Via CNet]