Call of Duty had a massive week with the official announcement of Modern Warfare 3, following a whirlwind of leaks. However, the week ended on a low note as one of the long-tenured devs for the series announced his departure from Activision.
Veteran Call of Duty designer David Vonderhaar announced that he is leaving Treyarch Studios after 18 years. The design director announced his resignation in a LinkedIn post last Friday. Vonderhaar will reportedly be moving to another role within the gaming industry.
Today I am sharing that I have left Activision and Treyarch after an incredible 18 years and 8 Call of Duty games," Vonderhaar wrote on his LinkedIn page. To my co-workers at Treyarch, I am immensely grateful for the time we invested working to improve our craft, never sitting on successes, and always wondering how to improve what we design and how we produce it.
"Thank you to the Call of Duty community for your passion and enthusiasm. That energy has often fueled our determination as a studio and individuals. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to interact with so many of you directly online and in person. This energy will always be a massive part of me."
He ends, "I am staying in the games industry, working on an undisclosed project I can't discuss yet, but I am excited about a rare and unique opportunity. I'll update you as soon as possible." Fans are surely excited to learn where his influence will be felt next.