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 pivotal role in developing numerous Call of Duty titles, starting with the original Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
• Reisdorf led the development of multiplayer features for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including live season modes and content.

Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf recently announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games, marking the end of his 15-year tenure with the studio. Reisdorf's journey began with his involvement in the development of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011, marking the start of his significant contributions to the franchise.

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 other renowned developers such as Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on various Call of Duty titles, including the latest, 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the widely popular 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 insights into his accomplishments and experiences. Rising through the ranks after contributing to Modern Warfare 3, Reisdorf highlighted his work on the Scorched Earth campaign mission and the memorable sequence in the Blood Brothers mission where Soap is on a gurney, describing it as "one of the most fun and chaotic moments" he had worked on.

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

Reisdorf's contributions extended to the "boots off the ground" era, significantly influencing Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare with gameplay mechanics like boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads. He also played a key role in developing 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 equipment choices like primary and secondary weapons.

Reflecting on Call of Duty: WW2, Reisdorf discussed the initial decision to lock weapons to specific classes under the Divisions system, which limited player freedom. He was pleased with the swift reversal of this decision post-launch. His contributions to Call of Duty: Vanguard included enhancing multiplayer through the game's discovery and classic three-lane maps, which he preferred for their fun gameplay over military simulation.

Lastly, Reisdorf shared his experiences with the development of multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He enjoyed reimagining classic maps from Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and adding unique details, such as Shepherd's skull on Rust. As the creative director of multiplayer, he was directly involved in creating live season modes like Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday. Throughout Modern Warfare 3's year of post-launch support, Reisdorf worked on over 20 modes and expressed excitement for his future in the gaming industry.