Ex-Infinity Ward Heads Join Hollywood Talent Agency

After being unceremoniously fired by Activision last week (and responding with a lawsuit alleging breach of contract), what's next for now-former Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West? To find that out now, you might have to have your people call their people. The LA Times reports Zampella and West have signed on with Creative Artist Agency, the biggest talent agency in Hollywood.

To be sure, high-profile developers joining with a Hollywood talent agency is an unusual development. Whereas agents and managers work to negotiate deals between studios and talent in the film and television industry, the gaming industry is, as you surely know, drastically different: Developers almost always are full-time hires with a studio and have no representation.

As such, this is a fascinating move for Zampella and West and also demonstrates just how serious Hollywood takes the gaming industry these days (as if the countless questionable video game film adaptations in recent years didn't demonstrate that enough). Will it open the way to revolutionize how the industry works with talent agents representing every developer in the biz? Maybe not, but if you were just responsible for making a billion-dollar-grossing game and find yourself looking for a new home, having an agent sure couldn't hurt.

Made new topic since last one's title was misspelled.

Sweet mother of God, they've found another way to print money!

Well at least they've got a new way to make... Lowbrow beat me to it.

Well the boys proved they can deliver a billion dollar grossing game. How hard can a movie blockbuster be? Wish 'em luck!

" Well the boys proved they can deliver a billion dollar grossing game. How hard can a movie blockbuster be? Wish 'em luck! "

Wow. Good District 9 game would be nice.

Hollywood talent agency makes me think of greasy haired dudes in plaid suits talking a girl into taking her top off if she wants to make the big time.

They're not going to be making movie games are they?

As I'm to take it they've got agents, they're not making movie games all of a sudden. Why does everybody assume this?

It's probably got to do with the lawsuit.  West and Zampella will get some Modern Warfare TV or Movie deal underway as leverage to be able to bargain it out with Acti.  Good luck them I say.

They must have a strong case against Activision.

It'll be the biggest or one of the biggest coups in gaming history if they pulled COD rights from Activision.  The only thing that would be worse is if Blizzard pulled out of their partnership.  Those two things combined... that'd be a double barreled shotgun melting Activision's face.