I'll admit it, I'm confused.

Three months ago while talking about Modern Warfare 2 by Infinity Ward most people were saying things like, "...the multi player is a bit unbalanced even today, but it sure is fun" or "...the single player campaign was a bit vapid, the dialogue jingoistic, and it was too damn short." Then two weeks ago happened and somehow Modern Warfare 2 is the greatest game ever made and some sort of technical achievement. It sold a lot of units folks, but that really is the technical achievement of the game. Realiosticly speaking MW2 was over rated and over hyped, not a crime against a very good game, but when you then add this looking backwards navel gazing it blows two men being fired out of proportion.


The attitude today on the net is the creative directors were fired and somehow that equates to Activison to painting over the ceiling of the Sisten Chapel. Sorry, but while all this legal wrangling is sad, Activison hasn't really damaged something irreplaceable here. Jason West and Vince Zampella were hardworking folks and compelling leaders by all accounts, but they were not exactly what I would term creative geniuses. They certainly hadn't perfected the FPS shooter genre in terms of pacing, story, or game logic.

The big thing people seem to be confusing is making money and skill. You can be averagely skillful and still be famous and rich. And that seems to be the case here. They were 'as skillful' as their peers, but because they just sold a lot of games that somehow elevated them in some people's eyes to being 'more skillful' then their peers. Being responsible for a successful( while not perfect game) has somehow made them 'irrepalace assest' to a franchise because peopel have a Robin Hood complex about two dude. Yeah, sorry, that still just confuses me. It is like saying Chef Boyardee is a master of Italian cuisine. Selling a lot of something canned for consumption isn't laudable, be that mushy pasta or online game play it is still not something to heap accolades.

Just imagine if West and Zampella had not been fired publicly and very uncivilly. I think when they next game came out most people would have said, "Gee I hope they fix some of the problems in the past two games....those games could have used more polish and been less vapid." Instead, I think when the remaining people at IW putting out then next game will be blamed for not reaching so mythical perfection that not even Jason and Vince ever reached.