Call of Duty Studio Loses Multiplayer Development Director

Summary

• After 15 years at Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf has departed.
• His contributions spanned numerous Call of Duty titles, beginning with 2011's Modern Warfare 3.
• Reisdorf spearheaded the multiplayer development for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including its live seasonal content.

Greg Reisdorf, Call of Duty multiplayer creative director, recently announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after a 15-year tenure. Reisdorf's involvement extended across all Sledgehammer-developed Call of Duty titles, commencing with his work on the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011).

Sledgehammer Games, established on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, swiftly delivered its first Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years later. Collaborating with Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software, the studio has contributed to numerous Call of Duty releases, most recently Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024) and the ongoing Call of Duty: Warzone.

On January 13th, Reisdorf confirmed his January 10th departure via Twitter, sharing a thread detailing his accomplishments and experiences. His journey began with contributions to Modern Warfare 3, including the Scorched Earth campaign mission. He highlighted the "Blood Brothers" mission sequence featuring Soap on a gurney as "one of the most fun and chaotic moments" of his career.

Call of Duty Multiplayer Creative Director Greg Reisdorf Leaves Sledgehammer Games After 15 Years

Reisdorf played a key role in the early "boots on the ground" era of Call of Duty, contributing to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's gameplay mechanics, such as boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads. He also worked on the game's unique weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer maps. However, he expressed reservations about the "Pick 13" system, believing that killstreaks should be rewards separate from essential equipment like primary and secondary weapons.

Reflecting on Call of Duty: WW2, Reisdorf addressed the initial controversy surrounding the game's Divisions system, which initially restricted weapon choices by class. He expressed relief that this limitation was quickly addressed post-launch. His contributions to Call of Duty: Vanguard included the development of its discovery-focused and traditional three-lane maps, a design choice he favored for its focus on fun gameplay over strict military simulation.

Finally, Reisdorf detailed his work on multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, highlighting the enjoyment of revisiting and enhancing classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, such as the inclusion of Shepherd's skull in the Rust map. As multiplayer creative director, he oversaw the development of Modern Warfare 3's live seasonal modes, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. He worked on over 20 modes throughout the game's post-launch year and expressed excitement for future opportunities within the gaming industry.