That day when Activision fired Jason and Vince

“Jason and Vince just got fired!” A lead artist shouted, as he rode in on one of the many small kick-push scooters that would typically lay around the studio. He quickly scooted away to some other part of the office space to spread that shocking message. We had a main hallway that spanned most of the studio, branching into group offices and communal areas, which would then branch off into smaller office rooms. Another designer and I were sharing one of these smaller rooms at the time. I just sat there in stunned silence with my eyes wide open. The realization of what was happening started to register. I stood up from my chair and said: “What the fuck?.. Why?”.

The only thing clear at that time was that Jason and Vince had been blindsided and fired for “insubordination”, after a series of executive-level meetings, before Activision security guards showed up at the studio to make sure they could not come back inside.

The fact that our respected studio-heads, our leaders, had been canned in such a sudden and cold-blooded fashion brought the entire team a collective feeling of anger and a deep sense of unfairness. Jason and Vince had been instrumental in fostering one of the most talented and critically acclaimed development teams in the industry, which created the most popular and successful video game brand and franchise in the history of video games. Many on the team became vocal about quitting in solidarity with them - and this idea was quickly spreading. In an attempt to remove the studio-heads while retaining the development team, Activision had stepped on a metaphorical landmine. They were about to lose nearly half of the entire studio, putting the development of Modern Warfare 3 at risk.

There was an emergency company meeting in the kitchen space. A group of top Activision high-ups were already at the studio, ready to steady the ship. The Infinity Ward team piled into the kitchen and glared at the group of executives standing behind the long kitchen island table. One of them tried explaining what was happening, which nobody on the development team bought or cared for. The response was mostly stoic silence. Then, a team member asked bluntly if we were going to be paid the bonuses we have already earned for shipping Modern Warfare 2. Reading the tense vibe in the room, another executive took his turn and tried a different strategy. Paraphrasing, he said: “Guys, if you stay with the studio to make Modern Warfare 3, you will receive your MW2 bonuses. AND we will also give everyone a fifty percent salary increase”. He paused slightly before repeating: “That is a five and a zero, fifty percent”. The looks on peoples faces did not change. If anything, most of the team was feeling even more upset. The executive spoke again: “Look, I get it. I know this is a tough situation. But, just take the money and get over it.” I specifically remember him telling us to “Get over it”.

On the following day and continuing throughout the next several weeks, Infinity Ward team members started to quit one by one and sometimes in small groups. People would walk from room to room of each department to let others know that they were quitting and to say their goodbyes. Approximately 40 developers quit the studio this way. Our total headcount before that was about 100. Activision had inadvertently splintered their flagship studio, which was also one of the best studios of all time.

A meeting with an accomplished attorney was organized over the lack of bonus pay situation. Most of the people who quit were there, as well as some still employed with Infinity Ward who were undecided on the path forward. I was one of those undecided, thinking about the ramifications of a long-lasting legal trial and the uncertainty that comes with that and other things. But, that is a story for another article.

Article 2: Big Decisions