Kotick: 35 Infinity Ward staff out, more to go

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has put a total number to the intermittent waves of walkouts at troubled studio Infinity Ward, claiming that 35 staff have left the Californian outfit since its two co-founders were marched out.

And, speaking today at Activision’s financial call, he said that “it is likely that a few more people will leave as well."

Kotick, the boss of the world’s biggest third-party publisher, put a brave face on following two months of walkouts, dismissals and lawsuits. He said the studio “remains the top destination for development talent in the video game industry.”

He said he was "obviously disappointed" by the departures, "and we wish we could have convinced some of these incredibly talented people to stay.”

Kotick added that Infinity Ward is once again looking for new staff. He praised the outfit as “an incredibly well-respected group who are motivated and obviously extraordinarily capable.”

The news continues a disastrous several weeks for Activision, which began with the publisher sacking and suing West and Zampella over claims of "insubordination".

West and Zampella volleyed back a legal suit of their own, before setting up their own studio, signing a lucrative deal with EA and hiring Modern Warfare staff.