With the new year arriving in just a couple of weeks, most people are looking for fresh starts, whether they be from a personal or professional approach. In the case of Activision, 2019 will see changes internally, as one of thekey members behind the successof theCall of Dutyfranchisein recent years will be leaving to pursue new endeavors.
Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, will be leaving Activision at the end of December. While his future plans are currently unknown, Schofield can be credited with helping morph the development cycle oftheCall of Dutyfranchiseinto what it is today, founding the studio back in 2009 and being a key factor in changing the development process ofCall of Dutyinto the three-team rotation of Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch.
While Schofield hasn’t announced what he plans to do next, he has mentioned he will be heading back into game development, but not before taking a break. Schofield, along with Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey, were promoted towork with the corporate teamat Activision in early 2018 after successfully launching a number ofCall of Dutytitles, notablyModern Warfare 3(2011),Advanced Warfare(2016), andWorld War II(2017).
Before founding Sledgehammer Games with Condrey, Schofield helped to create the originalDead Spaceback in 2008, while also serving as the game’s executive producer. While Condrey has and will continue to work within Activision’s corporate team, Schofield’s desire to make games again factors into his departure.
It’s not uncommon to see developers taking a leave or sabbatical once they’ve completed a major project, but in Schofield’s case it appears the time off could be used to help transition himself back in game development. While theDead Spacefranchise did begin to pull farther away from the survival-horror tone it began with, Schofield is the reason those games exist in the first place. Whether he decides to go the indie developer route or partner up with another AAA studio, anything Schofield works on will likely keep consistent with the quality game launches he’s had in the past.
