Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision, has gone on the record in stating that the publisher had no choice but to sack Jason West and Vince Zampella.

Kotick explained sacking the geese that laid their golden egg in a recent conversation with investors.

Kotick said: "The decision to terminate the two executives was not done lightly, and was not done to deprive them of their bonuses. Nor was it done without a great deal of deliberation about the consequences. We felt we had no choice but to terminate the executives. We did this to protect the company's assets and the interest of our shareholders."

Without giving any details of the ongoing action, Kotick added: "There was nothing that would have allowed us to retain their services, as talented as they might have been. I personally considered [West and Zampella] friends. Their conduct was a compromise of our friendship, which was equally disappointing."

Thanks Gamasutra.

By Ewan Aiton