EA: Cagey on Zampella/West Respawn IP Ownership
More fog to shroud the Respawn/EA deal
Vince Zampell and Jason West, once of Infinity Ward, now suing Activision Blizzard (and being counter-sued) and proud parents of EA-backed start-up Respawn Entertainment have been speaking about being accused of being schemers sucks. More intriguing, however, is what they haven't been saying.
In an interview with Eurogamer today Zampella and West are asked about a statement in their own press release that says that they will own their own studio's intellectual properties. Seems fairly straightforward. So, when quizzed on it you'd expect one of them to respond, "Yes, we own all our IP".
What actually happens is silence punctuated by EA Partners representative, David DeMartini nose-diving into almost impenetrable corporate-speak as follows:
"I think everything we do with all of our partners is a large collaboration, so I certainly can't speak to the past, but on a going forward basis I think we view this as a significant collaboration and much as the guys will independently head down the path, come up with an idea for the IP...
"I mean, this is a little unusual - they've signed an arrangement, they're going to come up with the idea, they're going to come up with the team - so I think what we talk about is today is Day One, I think they need to put a team in place, I think they need to come up with some ideas, and then we'll worry about what the best way is to promote and market the games once we have an idea that can be shared."
In short, not only do the Respawn guys refuse to confirm their own IP, they also have to have an EA representative in on the interview and speaking for them on the subject of their own IP.
Fortunately, however, the Respawn chaps are able to comment on the Activision/Blizzard contention that they have been delaying work on Modern Warfare 3.
"False and outrageous and that's all we really have to say about it", is all they really have to say about it.
Source: EG
In an interview with Eurogamer today Zampella and West are asked about a statement in their own press release that says that they will own their own studio's intellectual properties. Seems fairly straightforward. So, when quizzed on it you'd expect one of them to respond, "Yes, we own all our IP".
What actually happens is silence punctuated by EA Partners representative, David DeMartini nose-diving into almost impenetrable corporate-speak as follows:
"I think everything we do with all of our partners is a large collaboration, so I certainly can't speak to the past, but on a going forward basis I think we view this as a significant collaboration and much as the guys will independently head down the path, come up with an idea for the IP...
"I mean, this is a little unusual - they've signed an arrangement, they're going to come up with the idea, they're going to come up with the team - so I think what we talk about is today is Day One, I think they need to put a team in place, I think they need to come up with some ideas, and then we'll worry about what the best way is to promote and market the games once we have an idea that can be shared."
In short, not only do the Respawn guys refuse to confirm their own IP, they also have to have an EA representative in on the interview and speaking for them on the subject of their own IP.
Fortunately, however, the Respawn chaps are able to comment on the Activision/Blizzard contention that they have been delaying work on Modern Warfare 3.
"False and outrageous and that's all we really have to say about it", is all they really have to say about it.
Source: EG
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