Call of Duty Veteran Greg Reisdorf Departs Sledgehammer Games After 15 Years of Innovation

Greg Reisdorf, the multiplayer creative director for Call of Duty, has officially left Sledgehammer Games after dedicating 15 years to the studio. His career at Sledgehammer Games began with the development of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, released in 2011, and he remained actively involved in every Call of Duty title the studio developed since then.

Founded on July 21, 2009, in Foster City, California, Sledgehammer Games quickly made its mark by launching its first Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, just two years later. Over the years, the studio collaborated with Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software on numerous Call of Duty projects, most recently contributing to 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the ever-popular Call of Duty: Warzone.

On January 13, Reisdorf announced via Twitter that he had departed from Sledgehammer Games on January 10. In a reflective thread, he shared highlights of his career and notable experiences. Among his early contributions was developing content for Modern Warfare 3, including the Scorched Earth mission. He also fondly recalled working on the intense sequence featuring Soap on a gurney in the Blood Brothers mission, describing it as one of the most exciting and chaotic moments in his career.

Reisdorf played a pivotal role in ushering in Call of Duty's "boots off the ground" era with Advanced Warfare. He contributed to gameplay innovations like boost jumps, dodging mechanics, and tactical reloads. Additionally, he worked on unique weapon designs, energy weapons, and multiplayer map creation. However, Reisdorf expressed mixed feelings about the game's "Pick 13" system, believing that killstreak rewards should not compromise essential loadout choices such as primary and secondary weapons.

Reflecting on Call of Duty: WW2, Reisdorf acknowledged the initial restrictive nature of the Divisions system, which limited player freedom by locking weapons to specific classes. He was relieved when these limitations were reversed shortly after the game's launch. His work on Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer focused on map discovery and designing traditional three-lane maps—a format he preferred for delivering enjoyable gameplay over strict military realism.

During the development of 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Reisdorf took pride in revisiting and enhancing classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, adding personal touches like Shepherd's skull on Rust. As the multiplayer creative director, he oversaw live seasonal content, including Season 1's Snowfight and Infectious Holiday modes. Throughout Modern Warfare 3's post-launch cycle, he contributed to over 20 different multiplayer modes.

As he steps away from Call of Duty, Reisdorf hinted at continuing his journey in the gaming industry, eager to embrace new challenges and opportunities.