Summary
- Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf has left Sledgehammer Games after 15 years.
- He was a key developer on various Call of Duty titles, starting with Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.
- Reisdorf led development of multiplayer for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including live season modes and content.
Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf announced his departure from Sledgehammer Games after an impressive 15-year tenure at the studio. Reisdorf played a pivotal role in all the Call of Duty titles developed by Sledgehammer, beginning with the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011.
Sledgehammer Games, established on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, made a swift entry into the gaming world with its first title, 2011's Modern Warfare 3, just two years after its founding. Over the years, the studio has collaborated with renowned developers like 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 immensely popular Call of Duty: Warzone.
On January 13, Greg Reisdorf confirmed via Twitter that he had left Sledgehammer Games on January 10. In a detailed thread, he highlighted his achievements and experiences throughout his career. His journey at Sledgehammer began with significant contributions to 2011's Modern Warfare 3, notably the Scorched Earth campaign mission. One of his memorable moments from Modern Warfare 3 was the sequence in the Blood Brothers campaign mission where Soap is on a gurney, which he described 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 played a key role in shaping the "boots off the ground" era of Call of Duty, contributing to the development of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's gameplay systems, such as boost jumps, dodging, and tactical reloads. He also worked on distinctive weapon signatures, energy weapons, and multiplayer maps for Advanced Warfare. However, he expressed reservations about the "Pick 13" system, feeling that streaks, as rewards, should not impact essential items like primary and secondary weapons.
Reflecting on his work with Call of Duty: WW2, Reisdorf discussed the game's launch state. The initial decision to lock weapons to specific classes in the Divisions system restricted player freedom, a move that was fortunately reversed shortly after launch. His contributions to Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer were significant, particularly in the game's discovery and traditional three-lane maps. Reisdorf's preference for three-lane maps in Vanguard stemmed from his focus on fun gameplay over military simulation.
Finally, Reisdorf shared his experiences developing multiplayer maps for 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He relished the opportunity to revisit classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps and add unique touches, such as Shepherd's skull on 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. Throughout the year, he worked on over 20 modes for Modern Warfare 3 during its post-launch support and expressed excitement about future endeavors in the gaming industry.
