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's 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 the original Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.

Sledgehammer Games, established on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, delivered its inaugural Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years later. The studio collaborated extensively with Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on various Call of Duty releases, most recently contributing to 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the enduringly popular Call of Duty: Warzone.

On January 13th, Reisdorf confirmed his departure from Sledgehammer Games, effective January 10th, via a Twitter 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 a particularly memorable and chaotic experience.

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

Reisdorf played a key role in shaping the "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. His work also encompassed unique weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer map design within Advanced Warfare. He openly acknowledged reservations about the game's "Pick 13" system, expressing a belief that streaks should be rewards separate from essential equipment like primary and secondary weapons.

Reisdorf also reflected on his contributions to Call of Duty: WW2, particularly addressing the game's initial launch state. He noted the initial class-restricted weapon system ("Divisions") in Call of Duty: WW2 limited player freedom, a decision he was glad was quickly reversed. His work on Call of Duty: Vanguard significantly impacted its multiplayer, including the creation of both discovery-focused and traditional three-lane maps—a style he personally favored for its focus on fun gameplay over strict military simulation.

Finally, Reisdorf shared insights into his work on multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He enjoyed revisiting and enhancing classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, adding subtle details like Shepherd's skull in the Rust map. As multiplayer creative director, he directly oversaw the development of Modern Warfare 3's live seasonal modes, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. Having worked on over 20 modes throughout Modern Warfare 3's post-launch year, Reisdorf expressed anticipation for future opportunities within the gaming industry.