Multiplayer Architect Departs Acclaimed 'Call of Duty' Studio

After a 15-year tenure 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's impact is significant, encompassing the development of multiplayer for the recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including its live seasonal content and modes. His journey with Sledgehammer Games, which started with the studio's inaugural Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, also extended to collaborations with Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on various Call of Duty releases, including 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

In a January 13th Twitter announcement, Reisdorf confirmed his departure on January 10th. He highlighted key achievements, including his work on Modern Warfare 3's Scorched Earth campaign mission and a memorable sequence in the Blood Brothers mission.

His influence extended to shaping the "boots on the ground" era of Call of Duty, notably through his contributions to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's gameplay mechanics (boost jumps, dodging, tactical reloads), weapon designs, and multiplayer map creation. He openly discussed his reservations about Advanced Warfare's "Pick 13" system, expressing a preference for reward systems that don't compromise core weapon choices.

Reisdorf also reflected on his involvement in Call of Duty: WW2, specifically addressing the initial controversy surrounding its class-based weapon restrictions, a decision later reversed. His work on Call of Duty: Vanguard focused on map design, favoring traditional three-lane maps over strict military simulations.

Finally, Reisdorf shared his experiences working on multiplayer maps for Modern Warfare 3, including the nostalgic recreation of classic Modern Warfare 2 maps and the addition of subtle details like Shepherd's skull in the Rust map. As multiplayer creative director, he oversaw the development of over 20 modes for Modern Warfare 3's post-launch content, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. He expressed excitement for future opportunities within the gaming industry.