According to people familiar with the situation, the publicly released terms of the Bungie deal are similar to the one that former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vincent Zampella were seeking before talks broke down and they were fired for alleged breach of contract in attempting to form their own company. They have since signed a deal with Activision’s chief rival, Electronic Arts Inc.

“It’s astonishing how much money Activision had to pay to cover up its horns and pitchforks with a halo,” quipped Bobby Schwartz, West and Zampella’s attorney.

Activision countered that the new deal proves its attractiveness as a creative partner. “If you look at the big picture, it’s undisputable that we’re the best destination for top talent in the industry,” Tippl said.