Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward is now home to a very strange, currently very unclear story, as G4 reports that security guards have stormed the developer, with studio heads currently missing in action.
While that all sounds like scary stuff, there's very little in the way of actual detail here. Infinity Ward leads Vince Zampella and Jason West are reported to have met with Activision earlier today, but have not been seen since by G4's sources. The original report describes a rumored level of tension between Infinity Ward and its owner/publisher, but does not explain the source of that friction.
Look, we don't know what's up yet, but we've reached out to Activision PR and Infinity Ward's main communicator Robert Bowling for comment on G4's report. The latter has been uncharacteristically quiet on his Twitter account today, if that means anything.
We're well aware by now that Activision isn't shy about bringing the hammer down on its owned development studios, with Infinity Ward's Call of Duty games still bringing in the billions, we can't imagine why Bobby Kotick and company would be so displeased with its star studio. Put your rumor protective gear on until we hear more.
Update: And now things are stranger. Kotaku commenter VasectomyOmega dropped the following into the discussion below.
That's supposedly from Modern Warfare 2 game director and Infinity Ward president Jason West's Facebook page. We're trying to verify.
West's LinkedIn profile indicates he is no longer working at Infinity Ward as of March 2010. Could Infinity Ward's top brass been given the heave ho?
Security Appears Unannounced At Infinity Ward, Studio Heads Missing, Staff "Freaked Out" [G4]