Activision hands over $42 million to former Infinity Ward staffers

A group of Infinity Ward staffers suing Activision for alleged unpaid bonuses are in receipt of a solid whack of money, although lawyers claim the figure is nowhere near enough.

Polygon reports Activision gave the Infinity Ward Employee Group's lawyers a cheque for $42 million.

"Although it is a meaningful payment it is only a small portion of what we are seeking in litigation," attorney Bruce Isaacs said.

"It is outrageous that they made us wait, they obviously knew they owed the money and this just shows that they breached the contract."

Isaacs said Activision's payment is an 'attempt to look good" ahead of an upcoming trial, in which Activision will argue that a breach of contract by former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella negates contractual bonus pay outs.

The publisher's pay out is not part of a settlement, but is framed as an attempt to meet its contractual requirements to those 40-something Infinity Ward employees whom Activision believes are not implicated in West and Zampell'as alleged misconduct.

Nevertheless, the other plaintiffs will continue to pursue the suit.

"They are just as interested as they were before hand," Isaacs said.

"We are seeking all kinds of bonuses per the contract. This payment relates to one particular game and one particular time period and one particular bonus."

The legal battle between Activision and the Infinity Ward Employee Group hit headlines in early 2010 when founders West and Zampella were famously fired and escorted from the building. The pair have since set up shop as Respawn Entertainment, under the sheltering hand of EA, and attracted many other former Infinity Ward employees.

Thanks, Kotaku.