"Call of Duty Studio's Multiplayer Director Departs"

Summary

• Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf has left Sledgehammer Games after 15 years of service.
• He played a pivotal role in developing several Call of Duty titles, starting with Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
• Reisdorf led the multiplayer development for the 2023 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, overseeing live season modes and additional content.

Greg Reisdorf, the creative director for Call of Duty's multiplayer, recently announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after a remarkable 15-year tenure. Throughout his career at the studio, Reisdorf contributed to every Call of Duty title developed by Sledgehammer, beginning with the iconic Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.

Founded on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, Sledgehammer Games quickly made its mark by releasing Modern Warfare 3 just two years later. Over the years, the studio has collaborated with industry giants like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on numerous Call of Duty projects, including the latest, 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and the fan-favorite Call of Duty: Warzone.

On January 13, Reisdorf took to Twitter to confirm his exit from Sledgehammer Games on January 10. In a detailed thread, he shared his journey and key contributions to the franchise. Starting with Modern Warfare 3, Reisdorf's work included the memorable Scorched Earth campaign mission and the gripping sequence featuring Soap on a gurney in the Blood Brothers mission, which he described as one of the most enjoyable and chaotic moments of his career.

Reisdorf's influence extended into the "boots off the ground" era with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, where he helped develop gameplay mechanics such as boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads. He also contributed to the game's unique weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer maps. However, he expressed mixed feelings about the "Pick 13" system, believing that streaks should not impact essential items like primary and secondary weapons.

Reflecting on Call of Duty: WW2, Reisdorf discussed the initial decision to lock weapons to specific classes through the Divisions system, which he felt restricted player freedom. Thankfully, this was quickly reversed post-launch. His work on Call of Duty: Vanguard focused on multiplayer, particularly the discovery and traditional three-lane maps, which he favored for their fun gameplay over military simulation.

Lastly, Reisdorf shared his experiences with the 2023 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He relished the opportunity to revisit and enhance classic maps from Modern Warfare 2 (2009), such as adding Shepherd's skull to the Rust map. As the creative director of multiplayer, he directly managed the live season modes, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. Throughout the year, Reisdorf oversaw the development of over 20 modes for Modern Warfare 3 and expressed excitement about his future endeavors in the gaming industry.

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

Greg Reisdorf's departure marks the end of an era at Sledgehammer Games, but his legacy within the Call of Duty franchise will undoubtedly continue to influence the gaming world.