David Vonderhaar, a long-time designer for Call of Duty at Treyarch, has left the studio after 18 years. Vonderhaar worked on a total of eight Call of Duty titles during his time at Treyarch, starting in 2003 with the first Call of Duty game. He was best known for his work on the Call of Duty series.
Vonderhaar announced that he would be leaving Treyarch on Friday and that he would be moving to another role in the games industry. He did not explain what his new role would be, however.
In a statement on his LinkedIn page, he wrote: “Today I am sharing that I have left Activision and Treyarch after an incredible 18 years and 8 Call of Duty games.
“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.
“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.”
Treyarch, the studio that has worked notably on Black Ops, responded to David Vonderhaar with its own statement, writing: “Farewell to the legendary David Vonderhaar, whose discipline, creativity & innovation helped shape our games from COD 2: Big Red One to Black Ops Cold War. His iconic phrases & groundbreaking ideas will be missed. Excited for your next adventure.”
David Vonderhaar was responsible for many iconic and well-known elements in Call of Duty, and was the lead multiplayer designer for several titles. He was studio design director for the Black Ops franchise. His expertise has helped shape many Call of Duty titles and his exit is certainly a big spot for Treyarch to fill.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
