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 multiple Call of Duty titles, beginning with Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
- Reisdorf led the multiplayer development for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, focusing on live season modes and content.
Greg Reisdorf, the creative director for Call of Duty multiplayer, has announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after a remarkable 15-year tenure. Reisdorf was instrumental in the development of all Call of Duty titles produced by Sledgehammer Games, starting with his contributions to the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011.
Founded on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, Sledgehammer Games launched its first Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years after its inception. Over the years, the studio collaborated with notable developers like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on several Call of Duty releases, including the recent 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the ever-popular Call of Duty: Warzone.
On January 13, Reisdorf confirmed his exit from Sledgehammer Games via a Twitter thread, reflecting on his January 10 departure. He highlighted his key accomplishments and experiences during his time as a developer. Reisdorf's career at Sledgehammer Games took off following his work on Modern Warfare 3, where he contributed to the Scorched Earth campaign mission. One of his most memorable contributions was the sequence featuring Soap on a gurney in the Blood Brothers campaign mission, which he described as "one of the most fun and chaotic moments" of his career.
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. He helped develop key gameplay systems such as boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads, as well as unique weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer maps. However, he expressed mixed feelings about the "Pick 13" system, arguing 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, particularly the restrictive Divisions system that locked weapons to specific classes. He was pleased with the swift reversal of this decision post-launch. His contributions to Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer included the development of discovery and traditional three-lane maps, which he favored for their fun gameplay over military simulation.
Lastly, Reisdorf shared his experiences developing multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He enjoyed revisiting and adding subtle touches to classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, such as including Shepherd's skull on the Rust map. 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. Throughout the year of post-launch support, Reisdorf worked on over 20 modes for Modern Warfare 3 and expressed excitement about his future endeavors in the gaming industry.
