Summary
- Greg Reisdorf, the creative director of Call of Duty multiplayer, has departed from Sledgehammer Games after a 15-year tenure.
- His contributions began with the development of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
- Reisdorf led the multiplayer development for the 2023 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including seasonal modes and content.
Greg Reisdorf, the creative director behind Call of Duty's multiplayer experience, has announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after dedicating 15 years to the studio. His journey with the company started with the development of the iconic Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011.
Sledgehammer Games, established on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, launched its first Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years later. Over the years, the studio has collaborated with renowned developers like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on numerous Call of Duty projects, including the latest 2024 release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and the ever-popular Call of Duty: Warzone.
On January 13, Reisdorf took to Twitter to confirm his exit from Sledgehammer Games on January 10, reflecting on his significant contributions and experiences through a detailed thread. His career at Sledgehammer began to flourish after working on Modern Warfare 3, where he developed memorable content such as the Scorched Earth campaign mission. One of his standout creations from this title is the dramatic sequence in the Blood Brothers mission, where Soap is on a gurney, a moment Reisdorf described as "one of the most fun and chaotic" he has worked on.
Call of Duty Multiplayer Creative Director Greg Reisdorf Leaves Sledgehammer Games After 15 Years
Reisdorf played a pivotal role in ushering in the "boots off the ground" era of Call of Duty with his work on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's gameplay systems, including 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 game's initial state at launch, particularly the restrictive Divisions system that locked weapons to specific classes. He was pleased with the swift reversal of this decision post-launch. His work on Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer focused on enhancing the game's discovery elements and crafting traditional three-lane maps, which he favored for their fun gameplay over military simulation.
In his final role, Reisdorf led the development of multiplayer maps for the 2023 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He relished revisiting classic maps from Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and adding subtle enhancements, such as placing Shepherd's skull on the Rust map. As the creative director of multiplayer, he directly contributed to Modern Warfare 3's live season modes, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. Throughout the year of post-launch support, Reisdorf worked on over 20 modes for Modern Warfare 3. Looking ahead, he hinted at continuing his career in the gaming industry, eager to explore new opportunities.
