Breaking: Legendary Call of Duty Dev Departs Treyarch After Unprecedented 19-Year Stint

Highlights

After nearly two decades, longtime veteran David Vonderhaar has officially left Treyarch, the Call of Duty development studio.

Vonderhaar played a key role in creating multiplayer systems for highly praised Call of Duty games like Black Ops: Cold War and Warzone. Though Vonderhaar will not be completely exiting the gaming industry, his future endeavors remain uncertain, and Treyarch will have to search for a suitable replacement for his significant position.

Veteran David Vonderhaar, who had been with Treyarch for nearly 19 years, has officially departed from the Call of Duty development studio. He held the position of Studio Design Director since 2004 and played a significant role in the development of multiplayer systems for various critically acclaimed Call of Duty games. Vonderhaar ultimately became the Studio Design Director for the Black Ops franchise until his recent departure. Notable credits for Vonderhaar include 2020's Black Ops: Cold War and the collaboration on Call of Duty: Warzone with Infinity Ward. Despite his contributions to the franchise, he has decided to move on from the studio after nearly two decades.

Vonderhaar recently posted an announcement on his LinkedIn page, expressing his deep appreciation for both the Call of Duty community and his followers on the platform. He recognized the community's unwavering passion, which greatly contributed to the inspiration and motivation of the developers at the studio. Vonderhaar extended his sincere gratitude to those who welcomed him on board and entrusted him with the franchise. He also expressed his thankfulness for the opportunity to connect and engage with numerous individuals, both online and in person.

Vonderhaar has stated that he will not be completely leaving the gaming industry, but his next steps are currently unknown. He held a significant position at Treyarch, to the point that various characters and bots in the Call of Duty franchise were named after him. In 2019, there were rumors about Vonderhaar leaving the Call of Duty studio due to cryptic tweets that hinted at his departure. However, these tweets were deleted shortly after and Vonderhaar remained with the studio for a little longer.

Considering the magnitude of Vonderhaar's departure, Treyarch will likely need some time to find a suitable replacement. As for ongoing Call of Duty projects, Treyarch will be assisting Sledgehammer Games with the development of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 slated for release in 2023. In addition to general assistance, Treyarch is in charge of developing an open-world Zombies mode for Modern Warfare 3, adding a new twist to the classic multiplayer experience. The third installment of the re-imagined Modern Warfare trilogy is scheduled to be released this November.

Source: LinkedIn (via Insider Gaming)