Ex-Infinity Ward staff â??interrogatedâ??

Activision today faces fresh allegations over its conduct earlier in the year, with nearly 40 of its former Infinity Ward staff now accusing the publisher of routinely ‘interrogating’ the studio’s workforce.

The Call of Duty publisher has also been accused of infusing a ‘police state’ at the troubled studio, with accounts of security arriving at the office to guard doors, as well as holding bonus money at the ransom of development deadlines.

Activision has not legally had the chance to reply to the updated lawsuit, though has swiftly denied all allegations previously brought before it.

The accusers, named in lawsuit documents as the “Infinity Ward Employee Group”, initially sought hundreds of millions from Activision in what is claimed to be unpaid bonuses.

Now, according to a report from news site Kotaku, that group has revised its demands to the tune of $216 million.

In April the employee group made its first move, firing a number of allegations at Activision, including a claim that the publisher held some sixty per cent of unpaid bonuses at ransom.

It was said Activision promised to pay the figure, providing the studio completed development on Modern Warfare 3 by November 2011.

It is also alleged that Activision CEO Bobby Kotick personally visited Infinity Ward back in March, as West and Zampella were escorted out of the studio.

It is said that, during his visit, Kotick promised the group they would see the rest of their bonuses shortly, though this apparently never materialized.

Nearly forty staff have left Infinity Ward since Zampella and West were fired. The duo are filing thier own seperate lawsuit, though in August a judge will decide whether the two lawsuits will merge.