Activision Suit Against EA, Ex-Infinity Ward Heads To Move Forward

A California Superior Court has denied Electronic Arts' bid to dismiss the $400 million cross-complaint filed by Activision last year against ex-Infinity Ward leads Jason West and Vince Zampella. Electronic Arts was added as a defendant to the case last December for allegedly negotiating with West and Zampella while they were still under contract with Activision. The Call of Duty publisher hopes to prove that both EA and the Infinity Ward pair violated the company's existing employment agreements. California Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle ruled that while West and Zampella could lawfully explore other opportunities while working at Infinity Ward, Activision will have a case if EA approached the developers while there were still two years left on their contract, reports Bloomberg. The legal troubles between these parties erupted last year, when Activision fired both West and Zampella for alleged insubordination in March 2010, several months after the release of the tremendously popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The pair then sued the publisher for $36 million, claiming Activision fired them to avoid paying their royalties. Just a month later, the duo revealed Respawn Entertainment, a new studio that had signed a deal with EA. Around the same time, Activision filed its counter-suit accusing the duo of breaching their contracts, and later accused EA of interfering with the matter. Earlier this year, West and Zampella accused Activision of dragging out court proceedings for the case, causing legal fees to impose on salary payments for their new studio. A jury trial for Activision's case is expected to begin in May, 2012.