Call of Duty Studio Loses Multiplayer Development Director

Summary

• Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf has left Sledgehammer Games after 15 years of service.
• He played a significant role in developing various Call of Duty titles, beginning with Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
• Reisdorf spearheaded the multiplayer development for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including live season modes and content.

Greg Reisdorf, the creative director for Call of Duty multiplayer, has announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after a 15-year tenure. Reisdorf's journey with the studio began with the development of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011. Sledgehammer Games, founded on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, launched its first Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years after its inception. Over the years, the studio has collaborated with Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on numerous Call of Duty releases, including the latest, 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the popular Call of Duty: Warzone.

On January 13, Reisdorf confirmed his exit from Sledgehammer Games on January 10 via Twitter, where he shared a thread detailing his accomplishments and experiences as a developer. His career at Sledgehammer saw him rise through the ranks, starting with contributions to Modern Warfare 3, including the Scorched Earth campaign mission. One of his most memorable works from this title was the sequence in the Blood Brothers mission where Soap is on a gurney, which Reisdorf described as "one of the most fun and chaotic moments" he worked on.

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

Reisdorf played a crucial role in the inception of the "boots off the ground" era with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, contributing to gameplay systems such as boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads. He also developed unique weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer maps for this title. However, he had 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 state of the game at launch, including the restrictive Divisions system that locked weapons to specific classes. He was relieved that this decision was quickly reversed post-launch. His contributions to Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer included the game's discovery and traditional three-lane maps, which he preferred for their fun gameplay over military simulation.

Lastly, Reisdorf shared his experiences with developing multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He enjoyed revisiting and updating classic maps from Modern Warfare 2 (2009), such as adding Shepherd's skull to Rust. As the creative director of multiplayer, he directly oversaw Modern Warfare 3's live season modes, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. Over the course of the game's post-launch support, Reisdorf worked on more than 20 modes, and he expressed excitement about future endeavors in the gaming industry.